MYOFASCIAL RELEASE FOR GOOD POSTURE
It is imperative that we do not release any and all musculature. Your body is a very complex piece of engineering, so why use the same tool on every single one of your muscles? Certain muscles have become overactive and shortened. These are the areas that will need releasing and deep tissue therapy. For every action there is an opposite reaction. If there is an overactive/ shortened muscle there will be and underactive/lengthened muscle. We do not want to release underactive/lengthened muscles, we want to increase activity in those muscles.
Therefore it is absolutely crucial that you follow the order in which we provide SMR techniques. Also, if we follow the order of described in this book, the progression of release in the following muscles will be much easier. For example, if we focus on the tensor fascia latae as the first release in the lumbo-pelvic region, it will communicate to the gluteus maximus via reciprocal inhibition that it can now slowly begin to re-awaken from its dormancy.
If the gluteus maximus is now getting neuro-activity, it will then communicate to the tight gluteus medius muscles that they will not need remain as tight as a form of compensation. This will set the stage for getting better results in releasing the gluteus medius. Releasing the correct muscles and tissues at the correct time will be crucial too. There is a reason why we release the series of hip flexors before any other muscles.
Since the key to posture starts at the core we must address the core initially during corrective exercise. The reason for lordosis, kyphosis, external rotation of the femurs start at the hip flexors. When the hip flexors become tight due to a sedentary life style (mainly sitting), it pulls the pelvis into flexion causing an anterior pelvic tilt.
Through reciprocal inhibition, the gluteals that are responsible for hip extension will become weak and underactive, while the hip flexors progressively become more overactive and shortened. The root of the problem needs to be fixed otherwise we are just masking the symptoms, so it is crucial we follow the steps of correctly in order to re-introduce function back to the body