My theory is based on anatomical facts, logic (feels like I’m stating the obvious) and my subjective experience. It’s not complicated but there are multiple parts (split over several posts). I find myself using a lot of words in an attempt to explain clearly and simply (unsuccessfully it seems) so attempting to use as few words as possible and clarify my theory:
Base-Line Theory of Health and Movement:
Use the right muscles. Balance and align body and mind.
Anatomy of alignment
Linear structures: Linea alba, supraspinous & nuchal ligaments.
The body is balanced and aligned when midline anatomy can be positioned to create the median plane.
5 main muscles of movement, dynamic balance and alignment
The position of the rest of the body is relative to Base-Line. The body’s core pillar of strength.
Pelvic floor—the Base foundation of the body.
Rectus abdominis—central Line. Supporting all movement. Alignment of the linea alba.
Base-Line to legs:
Gluteus maximus. Strength and stability of posterior pelvis.
Rectus femoris. Align hip and knee joints.
Base-Line to upper body:
Trapezius—to guide the head and arms through a full range of natural movement. Alignment of nuchal & supraspinous ligaments.
Conscious Proprioception
Increased awareness of the sensory feedback regarding position, motion and balance. Feel how to move to increase alignment and balance, starting from Base-Line.
Pains & weird sensations
Using the wrong muscles results in myalgia of imbalance.
Restrictions in connective tissues = stiffness, physical tensions = pain and weird sensations. Restrictions result from tissue trauma (inflammation, injury, infection, surgery, stress etc.) and as long-term adaptation to poor posture. Individual trauma imprints.
Misalignment increases with cumulative damage. Pain spreads.
Mental
Chronic pain negatively affects sleep quality, mental well-being, quality of life. Physical tensions = mental tensions.
- - -- --- -----
So, with “what is Base-Line theory?” cleared up...
What evidence would falsify your theory?
1) Anything that offers an alternative explanation for my decades of pain and subsequent recovery over the past 4 years. I’ve researched my pain for decades. I’ve not come across anything that would invalidate Base-Line theory health and movement. No inconsistencies with what is “known” as far as I can see. (please anyone, tell me different.)
2) Any evidence that what I have experienced is some existential mindfek rather than what I think of as reality. Open to suggestions (very much a joke....)
3) No supporting evidence when ‘use the right muscles to balance and align the body’ is tested.
Two parts to examine:
Test validity of “the right muscles”.
Test “body balanced and aligned” is a good thing.
Many methods to test come to mind both those parts.
Looking for the presence/absence of physical misalignment in chronic pain patients. (Chronic pain patients that can align their midline anatomy to create the median plane would disprove me).
Assessing levels of pain in those who’s body is balanced and aligned. (Full range of natural movement with high pain levels would disprove me).
Studying those with no pain and their state of physical alignment. (Finding grossly physically misaligned people with no/little pain would be evidence to disprove me).
Biomechanical studies as the body as it goes through a full range of natural movement looking at the condition and positioning of the 5 main muscles. The trapezii have the most potential movement and are responsible for the alignment of the upper body, so if I had to pick one muscle pair to study I’d start with them.
For the assessment of chronic pain there is a lot to consider. Technology will bring better recording methods of aches and pains. More specific location, duration, intensity, frequency, type of pain. I’ve plenty of feedback to give on how to record pain more accurately.
One easy assessment for clinicians is to examine the condition of the nuchal ligament. Minimally invasively accessed and should be easily palpated. (I’d like clinicians to have examined a “free neck” to appreciate how much movement there should be and how the nuchal ligament aligns when the head is dropped forward).
Clinical trials.
I’m drooling at the thought of access to motion capture and digital analysis. How many dots would I get? I’d start with the 5 midline markers, hip bones, tibial tuberosities, C7, spine of scapulae … Precise placement of markers is crucial.
Computer analysis allows detailed, blind assessment of movement and state of alignment of participants compared to the calculated potential range of movement for each individual. Assessment at 0, 3, 8 and 16 weeks as rough figures.
Or simpler testing, subjects stand with their back to column/wall. How does it feel/measurements. Then take a few deep breaths and think of aligning your midline to the column. Relax and allow the rest of the body to move as feels natural. Note what moves where. body parts, pain… Use a long, straight stick …
Potential early testing participant groups that spring to mind:
Medical students from several schools. Broadly similar age range. Should have no trouble understanding the anatomy. 1⁄2 the schools told to focus on the 5 main muscles and how they move. 1⁄2 no instructions. Attendance of movement classes for all participants?
A group who do regular exercise classes together to minimise variables to what exercises are used. Take half a class, provide resources (intro. session, videos, pictures) to the relevant anatomy. Encourage focusing on using the main muscles as they move and feeling for the alignment of their midline anatomy. Ask them not to tell the other half of the group acting as the control.
Chronic pain suffers. 1⁄3 told about the 5 main muscles, 1⁄3 told to increase movement, 1⁄3 nothing.
I’ve read Painscience over the years. It’s one of the few places that attempts to cut through the BS of “pain medicine” and I agree with Paul on many things.
However, I am looking at “posture” from a new perspective. (Kind of wish I had another word for body-position—pose? A lot of bad thinking is currently applied to “posture”.)
Posture = the pose you are in = the positioning of all the bits of your body, at any time.
Good posture = good positioning. Enabled by an unrestricted range of movement, normal tensions within the connective tissue system and the appropriate use of muscles.
Bad posture = bad positioning = misalignment of moving parts = increased biomechanical stress. At some point the body will start to generation warning signals—pain.
The body is an incredible machine with a massive capacity to tolerate misusage, adapting its positioning to avoid pain and spread the burden of misplaced forces. Every adaption however, reduces alignment and increases imbalance, a progression of worsening positioning overtime. The more strain/exertion/trauma the body is expose to the more misalignment develops. For the body to function at/near optimal, it much have all potential position possibilities open to it—a full range of movement—allowing whatever posture/position that is most appropriate to be used for the task at hand.
Paul Ingraham says in the article you linked to:
Poor posture is any habitual, self-imposed positioning that causes physical stress, especially coping poorly with postural challenges.
There is a big difference between “poor posture” and “postural stress,” but the distinction seems to be absent from most discussions of posture and ergonomics.
I say poor posture is when there is postural stress. Also posture can be active or passive (conscious engagement of muscles or subconscious brain to body commands to muscles—habits).
If there isn’t stress, it’s not a bad position to be in so it’s not a poor posture. Examples Paul uses:
The most stereotypical poor posture of them all — a hunched upper back, with the shoulders rolled forward
Is this really an example of “poor posture”? If the shoulders can be “unhunched”, if the subject has a full range of movement, hunched is just another pose. Being in a position that is classically labelled “poor posture” isn’t an issue if stress is minimal, and no pain is generated (RSI in wrists much more likely with “texting hunches”). However if movement of the neck and shoulders are restricted, if “hunched” is a fixed feature, the body is less able to adjust when it needs to, so it becomes a bad posture, generating postural stresses.
“Squatting like a baby” …… hopelessly unrealistic for most people.
I understand Paul’s view on this, a few years ago I would have laughed at the thought of getting into a squatting pose and cried out loud twisting and rotating to get into an approximation of the position. I would have battled a lot of pain to stay there, fidgeting and adjusting looking for the least painful option. But I can squat comfortably now. It wasn’t an aim, or something I intentionally did. It’s just another position to move into and out of as I work with the whole of my body, using my Base-Line as starting reference for relative positioning of the rest of my body—to sense my posture for myself and feel how to move to improve my range of motion.
Read though my take on posture. Question the validity of each statement.
Read though Paul’s take on posture. Question the validity of each statement. (I still agree with a fair bit in the article.) Check the references and consider what, who, how was studied. I’m not impressed with the quality of any studies listed. It’d be more efficient if you link to any ones you find that have some validity rather than me trying to comment on them all.
On a personal note, my patellofemoral pain started (bilaterally) when I was about 7 yrs old. I got a diagnosis of chondromalacia patellae, a label that sounded special but did nothing to reduce the pain in my knees. Walking was always painful, occasionally to the point of almost non-weightbearing. The pains shifted around and around in my knee (and the rest of my body) as my posture altered to avoid pain and keep on going. Now that use the right muscles to position my legs to torso (rectus femoris to align hip and knee joints, gluteus maximus to stabilise the posterior pelvis) my knee pains have finally gone.
My theory is based on anatomical facts, logic (feels like I’m stating the obvious) and my subjective experience. It’s not complicated but there are multiple parts (split over several posts). I find myself using a lot of words in an attempt to explain clearly and simply (unsuccessfully it seems) so attempting to use as few words as possible and clarify my theory:
Base-Line Theory of Health and Movement:
Use the right muscles. Balance and align body and mind.
Anatomy of alignment
Linear structures: Linea alba, supraspinous & nuchal ligaments.
5 midline markers: Pubic symphysis, navel, xiphoid process, jugular notch, external occipital protuberance.
The body is balanced and aligned when midline anatomy can be positioned to create the median plane.
5 main muscles of movement, dynamic balance and alignment
The position of the rest of the body is relative to Base-Line. The body’s core pillar of strength.
Pelvic floor—the Base foundation of the body.
Rectus abdominis—central Line. Supporting all movement. Alignment of the linea alba.
Base-Line to legs:
Gluteus maximus. Strength and stability of posterior pelvis.
Rectus femoris. Align hip and knee joints.
Base-Line to upper body:
Trapezius—to guide the head and arms through a full range of natural movement. Alignment of nuchal & supraspinous ligaments.
Conscious Proprioception
Increased awareness of the sensory feedback regarding position, motion and balance. Feel how to move to increase alignment and balance, starting from Base-Line.
Pains & weird sensations
Using the wrong muscles results in myalgia of imbalance.
Restrictions in connective tissues = stiffness, physical tensions = pain and weird sensations.
Restrictions result from tissue trauma (inflammation, injury, infection, surgery, stress etc.) and as long-term adaptation to poor posture. Individual trauma imprints.
Misalignment increases with cumulative damage. Pain spreads.
Mental
Chronic pain negatively affects sleep quality, mental well-being, quality of life. Physical tensions = mental tensions.
- - -- --- -----
So, with “what is Base-Line theory?” cleared up...
1) Anything that offers an alternative explanation for my decades of pain and subsequent recovery over the past 4 years. I’ve researched my pain for decades. I’ve not come across anything that would invalidate Base-Line theory health and movement. No inconsistencies with what is “known” as far as I can see. (please anyone, tell me different.)
2) Any evidence that what I have experienced is some existential mindfek rather than what I think of as reality. Open to suggestions (very much a joke....)
3) No supporting evidence when ‘use the right muscles to balance and align the body’ is tested.
Two parts to examine:
Test validity of “the right muscles”.
Test “body balanced and aligned” is a good thing.
Many methods to test come to mind both those parts.
Looking for the presence/absence of physical misalignment in chronic pain patients. (Chronic pain patients that can align their midline anatomy to create the median plane would disprove me).
Assessing levels of pain in those who’s body is balanced and aligned. (Full range of natural movement with high pain levels would disprove me).
Studying those with no pain and their state of physical alignment. (Finding grossly physically misaligned people with no/little pain would be evidence to disprove me).
Biomechanical studies as the body as it goes through a full range of natural movement looking at the condition and positioning of the 5 main muscles. The trapezii have the most potential movement and are responsible for the alignment of the upper body, so if I had to pick one muscle pair to study I’d start with them.
For the assessment of chronic pain there is a lot to consider. Technology will bring better recording methods of aches and pains. More specific location, duration, intensity, frequency, type of pain. I’ve plenty of feedback to give on how to record pain more accurately.
One easy assessment for clinicians is to examine the condition of the nuchal ligament. Minimally invasively accessed and should be easily palpated. (I’d like clinicians to have examined a “free neck” to appreciate how much movement there should be and how the nuchal ligament aligns when the head is dropped forward).
Clinical trials.
I’m drooling at the thought of access to motion capture and digital analysis. How many dots would I get? I’d start with the 5 midline markers, hip bones, tibial tuberosities, C7, spine of scapulae … Precise placement of markers is crucial.
Computer analysis allows detailed, blind assessment of movement and state of alignment of participants compared to the calculated potential range of movement for each individual. Assessment at 0, 3, 8 and 16 weeks as rough figures.
Or simpler testing, subjects stand with their back to column/wall. How does it feel/measurements. Then take a few deep breaths and think of aligning your midline to the column. Relax and allow the rest of the body to move as feels natural. Note what moves where. body parts, pain… Use a long, straight stick …
Potential early testing participant groups that spring to mind:
Medical students from several schools. Broadly similar age range. Should have no trouble understanding the anatomy. 1⁄2 the schools told to focus on the 5 main muscles and how they move. 1⁄2 no instructions. Attendance of movement classes for all participants?
A group who do regular exercise classes together to minimise variables to what exercises are used. Take half a class, provide resources (intro. session, videos, pictures) to the relevant anatomy. Encourage focusing on using the main muscles as they move and feeling for the alignment of their midline anatomy. Ask them not to tell the other half of the group acting as the control.
Chronic pain suffers. 1⁄3 told about the 5 main muscles, 1⁄3 told to increase movement, 1⁄3 nothing.
That’ll have to do for now.
Paul Ingraham has written pretty extensively on posture and it’s relationship to pain/dysfunction, surveying the literature and concludes that there’s very little evidence to support a posture/pain connection.
I’ve read Painscience over the years. It’s one of the few places that attempts to cut through the BS of “pain medicine” and I agree with Paul on many things.
However, I am looking at “posture” from a new perspective. (Kind of wish I had another word for body-position—pose? A lot of bad thinking is currently applied to “posture”.)
Posture = the pose you are in = the positioning of all the bits of your body, at any time.
Good posture = good positioning. Enabled by an unrestricted range of movement, normal tensions within the connective tissue system and the appropriate use of muscles.
Bad posture = bad positioning = misalignment of moving parts = increased biomechanical stress. At some point the body will start to generation warning signals—pain.
The body is an incredible machine with a massive capacity to tolerate misusage, adapting its positioning to avoid pain and spread the burden of misplaced forces. Every adaption however, reduces alignment and increases imbalance, a progression of worsening positioning overtime. The more strain/exertion/trauma the body is expose to the more misalignment develops. For the body to function at/near optimal, it much have all potential position possibilities open to it—a full range of movement—allowing whatever posture/position that is most appropriate to be used for the task at hand.
Paul Ingraham says in the article you linked to:
I say poor posture is when there is postural stress. Also posture can be active or passive (conscious engagement of muscles or subconscious brain to body commands to muscles—habits).
If there isn’t stress, it’s not a bad position to be in so it’s not a poor posture. Examples Paul uses:
Is this really an example of “poor posture”? If the shoulders can be “unhunched”, if the subject has a full range of movement, hunched is just another pose. Being in a position that is classically labelled “poor posture” isn’t an issue if stress is minimal, and no pain is generated (RSI in wrists much more likely with “texting hunches”). However if movement of the neck and shoulders are restricted, if “hunched” is a fixed feature, the body is less able to adjust when it needs to, so it becomes a bad posture, generating postural stresses.
I understand Paul’s view on this, a few years ago I would have laughed at the thought of getting into a squatting pose and cried out loud twisting and rotating to get into an approximation of the position. I would have battled a lot of pain to stay there, fidgeting and adjusting looking for the least painful option. But I can squat comfortably now. It wasn’t an aim, or something I intentionally did. It’s just another position to move into and out of as I work with the whole of my body, using my Base-Line as starting reference for relative positioning of the rest of my body—to sense my posture for myself and feel how to move to improve my range of motion.
Read though my take on posture. Question the validity of each statement.
Read though Paul’s take on posture. Question the validity of each statement. (I still agree with a fair bit in the article.) Check the references and consider what, who, how was studied. I’m not impressed with the quality of any studies listed. It’d be more efficient if you link to any ones you find that have some validity rather than me trying to comment on them all.
On a personal note, my patellofemoral pain started (bilaterally) when I was about 7 yrs old. I got a diagnosis of chondromalacia patellae, a label that sounded special but did nothing to reduce the pain in my knees. Walking was always painful, occasionally to the point of almost non-weightbearing. The pains shifted around and around in my knee (and the rest of my body) as my posture altered to avoid pain and keep on going. Now that use the right muscles to position my legs to torso (rectus femoris to align hip and knee joints, gluteus maximus to stabilise the posterior pelvis) my knee pains have finally gone.