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Gluteal Amnesia
Gluteal Amnesia
Yesterday I had a new client complaining of lower back pain. “It just hurts right here!” She said, grinding her fist into her right SI joint area. She asked questions throughout the session. I began by working on her abdomen but quickly recognized that her left gluteus maximus muscle had decreased tone. Something called dormant butt or gluteal amnesia.
One of the causes of one gluteal muscle not firing optimally is a plantar flexion/dorsiflexion imbalance at the ankles. I checked the range of motion and found that her right ankle had greater range of motion into plantar flexion. Her left ankle had greater range of motion into dorsiflexion.
Feet & Ankles
Using SMRT, I worked on her ankles for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, her ankles moved more evenly through plantar flexion and dorsiflexion and her range was almost even from right to left. Additionally, her left gluteus maximus muscle suddenly had tone. “That is so weird, you worked on my ankles and I can feel, I mean I have awareness of tension, in a good way, in my left hip.” She said.
Her next comment was about the pain in her right SI joint being “gone”. The initial tonal imbalance in her gluteus maximus muscles allowed her sacrum to shift to the right, decreasing space in the right SI joint. Restoring the tonal balance in the glute muscles, allowed more mobility in the sacrum and a more centered position, which increased space in the right SI joint and alleviated her sensation of pain.
For her next appointment? Detailed, specific, SMRT work on her feet and ankles.
Learn SMRT for the lower extremities (thighs, knees, lower legs, ankles, and feet) in Portland, OR from October 12-14, 2018 by registering now!
