Centered by Madeline Black

Author:Madeline Black
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Handspring Pub Ltd
Published: 2015-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Figure 5.7

Rib mobility in side bending

In Pilates, it is common to see the lower ribs protrude when the person lies down. In this case, the flaring of the ribs may be a result of thoracic spine extension (a lifting of the spine off the mat) at segments between T8 and T12. The lowest ribs are not “anchored into the mat” because in an upright position, the upper thorax is flexed with a forward head. When the head meets the mat, the lower thorax has to lift to accommodate the lack of normal length of the thorax. Another contributor to the alignment of the spine while lying down is the position of the pelvis. When there is shortness along the psoas/iliacus/hip flexor line, lying with the knees bent and the feet flat on the floor removes the tension pulling on the front of the pelvis. The muscles and fascia rest in a shortened position, tilting the pelvis backward. The combination of a forward head, flexed upper thorax, and shortened anterior psoas line holds the ribs in a flared position. Releasing the area through breathing practices, release techniques of the trunk, specifically the psoas to hip flexor line, restoring abdominal length and working on the upper back/head alignment will all affect the angle and protrusion of the lowest ribs.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.