For many years I've dealt with chronic pelvic pain which ultimately manifested as tight/painful adductors, lower abdomen, thighs, and hamstrings. Basically anything around my pelvis was clenched up in fear for many years. Since reading 8 Steps I've realized one way I've been compensating is by standing in a sway back posture with locked knees, my pelvis tucked, and weight over the balls of my feet in order to relax my adductors and lower back. That leads to my upper body leaning back which probably strains my hip flexors, making them sore, feeding the pelvic pain feedback loop.
I've been working on tall standing and shifting my weight further back over my heals and letting my pelvis antevert. Since focusing on that I've had a lot of pain in my adductors and particularly the are of my groin crease which I know should be soft when standing. It seems like I tend to want to stabilize my core by clenching that groin crease hip flexor area which becomes very painful and sore towards the end of the day. I'm assuming your adductors should be engaged while tall standing? I'm not sure if I should be trying to feel them release all together or use them for stability? Basically where do I want to feel tension in my body while tall standing if at all?
3 years 11 months ago
12/11/2012 - 11:37am
Thank you for your interest in the Gokhale Method.
Once tallstanding is achieved correctly, you do not want to feel tension in your body. However, when you are first learning it, some areas may feel tight or weak as you position your body in a new way. Your adductors should not be engaged but perhaps you are holding tension there for other reasons. I suggest strengthening your glute medius muscle and working on your pelvic anteversion before aiming for tallstanding. Your glute medius will also give you some strength to postion the legs well. You also want to have your feet about shoulder width apart to allow your pelvis to relax between your legs. It seems to me that stretching your hamstrings and learning to relax the pelvis is your first step. A tucked pelvis and tight hip flexors can also give you some pain in the adductors if you are using those muscles to force your body in a new way. There is a lot to be learned with the Gokhale Method and many steps to think about for tallstanding. I strongly recommend taking the foundations course (or at least the free workshop) to getter a better sense of what you want to achieve. Hands on guidance with a Gokhale Method teacher is the best and safest bet if you are committed to learning what healthy pain-free posture is all about!