May newsletter

hi just got the may newsletter -perfect timing for me - i am working with my PT to gain strength in my glutes, lower abs as I ve somehow managed to compensate with the wrong muscles (my lower back) when i walk - i have one structural short leg and wasnt using my glutes much at all to power forward, was walking uphill on my toes etc. Esther - how did those of us who compensate like this with the wrong muscles end up doing it - is it all pretty much related to tucking our pelvis? (i am amazed that I wasnt making use of the right BIG muscles for this, i have so much more power and ease when i engage my glutes, i am puzzled at how the heck did I get so far off track? ( i ve walked a couple of miles a day everyday for the past decade and most of it in hilly terrain) thanks again for a great topic

The pelvis is like the foundation for the spine, so distorting it throws off a lot. One function it throws off is that of the glutes in walking. When the glutes are disadvantaged, other muscles (like the quads) take over their work. Once a pattern of movement develops, there isn't much in our culture that lends to examine that pattern - if we hurt we just think it's because we're stressed or old or heavy or not adapted to being upright. If we perform poorly in sports we assume we were just not born to be athletes. And so on. We rarely think about how we might use our bodies differently. I'm glad to hear that you are doing just that! I am looking forward to the day when we no longer hear "tuck your pelvis" in fitness classes and from medical experts. I also can't wait for the day when we stop putting our children in furniture that tucks them, essentially training them to self-destruct.