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Firstly, I am so grateful for this website; love my Chiro but I have unanswered questions and limitations that I want to overcome. When I did the test above all was well except that in order to put my left wrist completely on the floor I had to “press” it a little. When I did that I felt an uncomfortable stretch in my bicep (I think). What can I do for that?
Thanks for the nice comments, Janice. The floor/foam angel series is the best remedy. Those are coming. The full course will have much more when it opens back up.
My hands were about an inch off of the floor. My neck tends to get very tight. I have sciatic burning down my left leg from the hip to my foot. Sitting is quite uncomfortable and standing makes my feet hurt and burn. I believe this mostly comes from the piriformis muscle as my lower back never hurts. Am looking for exercises to loosen the piriformis an relieve the burning and hip pain that is starting to become more noticeable.
Annette…your low back doesn’t have to hurt to have nerve root/disc issues. Get a consult from a chiropractor of PT familiar with the Mckenzie method. to rule out this issue.
Great test! I’m a massage therapist and I have to constantly be checking my posture. One side was good and the other was difficult, with pain and tightness in my upper pec fibers moving superior and into the attachment on to the humerus. I’ll have to do some work on that pec, my rotator muscles and possibly rhomboids. The test really helped me pin point some areas to work on. I can really use this in my assessments. I like your style, it’s great to see someone with so much passion about this work. Thanks!
I like your style, too! It’s a great assessment for your clients, Michael and will set you apart from other therapists when you care enough to check your clients before starting in. More to come.
Did pretty well. I could not get quite all the arch out of my back, but the back seems the same whether the wrists are clear up on the floor or not. My really bad problem now is piriformis syndrome, and I found your piriformis stretch by googling “piriformis”. It seemed to be the best and simplest stretch and I have just done it one evening but I think it is helping already, after weeks & weeks of pain and stiffness. Thank you!
I suffer from upper and lower crossed syndrome. Any recommendations for which position or positions are best for sleeping?
Thanks for the reminder, I need to do a video on that. Generally…on side with a pillow between the legs is my recommendation.
thanks doctor steve for the amazing information. i passed the angel test, cant wait for the others. i use this in my initial postural audit when i start with a new client, but usually do it on the wall. would this be quivalent to do it on the floor? thanks for drawing attention to stabilizing the low back ribcage area, i will definitely be watching for that now!
was able to do this with no problem.
I was surprised to find my left arm as well as the bottom of my rib cage had a slight raise off the floor. I haven’t been doing my stretches lately and it really showed. I did some doorway pectoralis stretches and it got better
I failed the test, by about an inch. My shoulders feel both tight and weak. Looking forward to stretching (& strengthening?) exercises.
I’m delighted to have found your website. Five days ago I pulled muscle in my buttocks -gluteus maximus. I believe I may have piriformis syndrome (left side). Thanks to your sitting piriform exercise I can now sit and raise with no pain. Also found when I did the test I had the same experience as Janice,all fine but had to press left wrist down
Great to have you aboard, Sarah! Lots more to learn!
You’ll wish you hadn’t asked! I found your YouTube video re:piriformis stretch by searching causes of hip pain. Left side,sharp but crampy pain (left),primarily when sitting & rising. The sitting piriformis exercise with the left leg crossing was very painful as well, but less like piriformis syndrome..more to the front pelvic bone/waist area.
The “floor angel” exercise was an abysmal, very painful failure in all areas. Nothing touched the floor(except when I pulled my knees to my chest). The area of my butt crossing the crest of both ilium(ilii?) always been very painful to even touching though.
Yes,I did something stupid last week…bent from the waist, lifted the corner of a queen mattress & propped it on my knee to pull a new dust ruffle on the bed. Thought it had eased up until yesterday when getting up from a lounge chair irritated the joint again. I hate NSAIDS but resorted to one 200mg ibuprofen this morning. I do have osteoarthritis elsewhere but August 2010 films showed no sacroiliac involvement. Some cervical 5-6-7 stuff, however. Should I see someone?
The injury mechanism could be a disc injury. It would be best to see a chiropractor who knows Mckenzie methods and does rehab. The pain will likely go away on it’s own but then you’ll have damaging new compensation patterns to deal with. It’s always best to get it evaluated and treated to avoid this.
Search http://www.activerelease.com as well for practitioners who do good soft tissue work.
@drsteve Thanks for the quick reply,Dr.Steve. Found a local PT on the McKenzie website,but no DC. will check into activerelease.com too.
Super…let me know how it goes!
Failed the test. I could press down the right wrist which was about one inch from the floor. My left wrist was about two inches from the floor. When I tried to press it down it was really painful on the muscle on top of my left shoulder. I have no pains otherwise, “only” a wish to correct my bad posture.
i was suffering from deep pain in my hip area for 2 days.. i guess its because i am over weight and sit for long hours at the computer and also many times i have been told that my posture is not right.. i dont stand straight nor sit straight but now i am trying my best to sit straight and thats really helping me… Your piriformis stretch you have posted gave short term relief …. tried the floor angel test… my ribs were 1 inch from the floor (like i could easily get my hands underneath my ribs) …. and both of my wrists were half inch from the floor.. felt slight pain on my hips… cant wait for the next video
This video series was built exactly for you, Sarah. Keep us posted on your progress!
Steve,
I was able to get my ribs to the floor, but my right hand had about 1 inch at the wrist that didn’t touch the floor.
Laurie had no trouble keeping lower back on the floor. Right shoulder, elbow & wrist lay flat as well. Left elbow, wrist & hand came nowhere near the floor. It was about 10 to 12 inches above the floor.
George was fine, no problem!
When do we get our next test!?!?!
Currently this is how it’s set up…1 test per day for 3 days, then exercise program on the 4th day.
Sounds like the left shoulder could be a key link for Laurie!
I am 68 and my body response was to have my wrists abt 4 inches off the floor. I have piriformis problems on the right leg causing sciatica. I have been stretching but the buttock area seems to be very inflamed and when I do your chair stretch my hamstring really is TIGHT! The stretching gives some relief. How often should I do it?
Gently several times a day is a general rule for the hip/piriformis stretch. Sounds like chest and shoulders need some opening up as well
I appreciate getting some exercises without having to pay!!! That is a good method if you really want to help people.
No problems, except my right arm was about 4" from the ground because I strained the upper part of my bicep several years ago and haven't had "enough" PT to get it working right. I get most of my upper back pain on the left side along with tingling; on the right side of the shoulder blade and spine. I see an answer to one of my questions of how often to stretch hip/piriformis in your answer to Karen. Because if it feels good and works so well, I want to do it a lot. Is that good or bad?
sadly the video clip has no sound…..so …… not as helpful as expected…am I missing some trick?
@jade…try it again and check to make sure the volume on your computer is not muted. It has checked out fine with sound from my end. Let me know if you continue to have trouble.
Apologies from me……the trouble is at my end…..maybe time for a new computer! Thanks for your response…..I look forward to learning more about about proper body usage with sound soon! Must just add that your piriformis stretch was a life saver when I recently had sciatica……thank you very, very much
No problem, Jade…glad you got benefit from the piriformis stretch. Lots more where that came from!
Passed the upper body test, though slight tightness felt in R pec major so will do some more work on that. I am due to take my final exams in Clinical Sport and Remedial massage in 2 weeks so a great find for revision, for me personally and for the future. Thank you for such a useful site.
Great Sue. Good luck on your exams! Be sure to check out http://www.corewellnessinstitute.com if you haven’t yet. It is a school in and of itself.
I have a lot of discomfort in both arm sockets doing this test so how do I improve flexibility? Do I just repeat this exercise frequently?
Hi Dr. Steve,
I just found your website and I'm looking forward to seeing if your exercises will help. Although my D.O. hasn't really told me what my problem is all the symptoms point to the piriformis. The D.O. basically said my sciatic nerve gets pinched where my pelvic and hip bones come together. Since I'm not very savey on muscles, joints etc I just agreed as that's really what it felt like, the nerve was pinched. After reading about the piriformis sounds like that's my main problem with probably more down that I don't know about. I did the angel test and the ribs were okay except it did take a little concentration to keep them down and I could get both wrists on the ground however it took a little effort.
I do have one question though if it is the piriformis and it is pinched would it cause one leg to be shorter than the other, by an inch and a half in my case, until that muscle relaxes?
I look forward to reading your website more thorough and following the exercises as they are sent.
Thank you for the opportunity to hopefully "heal" myself and being able to do it for free especially with the economy the way it is. It's too bad more doctor's don't have their patient's health first on their instead of the dollars.
Have a great day
I love your approach and website. My test results were surprising. I am about 90-95% on the test but have been experiencing major headaches on the top right side of my head a while after getting into bed regardless of whether I sleep with a pillow or not. I thought the headaches might be due to alcohol [I was drinking 2 glasses of wine per day] and stopped drinking any alcohol at all; so it has surprised me that the headaches have not ceased although no more of an everyday occurence than they were when I was imbibing..
Looking forward to test for lower extremities.I snapped both left pubic bones at end of a 150 mile hike over 12 days without sufficient stretching. Have been doing yoga daily for the past month. Thank you for correction of piriformis exercise. I was doing it with rounded back.
Hi, I'm checking out your info and resources currently. I just did the initial self test… everything's flat on the floor, but my neck, a bit of an arch under, but not severe… I do get neck aches periodically and headaches, I've endured migraines now and then as well. My constant, nagging problem, though, is my low back and pelvic girdle… I have two bulging discs- L4/L5 and L5/S1… Yoga has saved me in a big way, keeping me mobile and giving me back much flexibility and relief, helping me to strengthen in a low-impact manner… however, I still deal with a good bit of pain daily. My hips seem to keep getting off balance, I have been told I have a cyst in the cap of my left hip, not sure if/ how much this is a contributing factor. My right hip feels as though it needs 'put back in place' very often and in several stretches (hinging forward at the hips) occasionally I get it to shift/ pop/ re-locate in a seemingly major way, and then I find great relief… but how do I get it to stay in position!?!.. this is my frustration. I am not sure if I have a chronically contracted psoas, ligaments/tendons that are too lax/loose??… definite imbalance of some sort!… usually when I get my hip to feel correct again my ankle (on the same side) will give a big pop, following my 'self-adjustment.' I know there is much compensating going on in my body, I just want to get it all in the right place and strengthen it in that position so that it STAYS!!!!!! I have gone to chiropractors for years…. relief sometimes, but c'mon! I need fixed for GOOD! I really look forward to hearing from you and hopefully finding some answers through your approach.
I have bilateral adhesive capsulitis of both shoulders as well as carpel tunnel in my right arm, numberness/tingling in my right shoulder blade and sciatic pain in my right leg. I cannot do this test since my shoulders are frozen but my lower spine was probably 3" from the floor, I was unable to get it any closer. Is this still a valid test for me?
@Anonymous…yes, it's valid. You've likely had CPS long before now.
I had no trouble doing it, but I felt the beginning of a sharp pain on the right side of my spine as I pushed down my back against the floor. I relaxed, and it went away.
I'm 53 and have had pain for 13 yrs, and I am very discouraged. I do not take drugs. I have L4, L5 ruptuered discs. No insurance. Self employed.(very stressful) for over a year the right hip and right shoulder are debilitating. now pain is stemming down my right leg wrapping around my foot. also constant neck pain. The test was difficult, although my left wrist was higher off the floor than my right. very much tension through my shoulder blades. I just found your site from googling hip, neck and shoulder pain. I'm looking foreward to some help from your videos. Thank you very much.
I am asking for assitance, I had a bang on the head almost 19 years ago. Have had spasms through my left side for a long time. I was told I had a Dystona and drugs was all that was available which I declined. I am now having spasming through my diaphram and my sciatic nerve (i think) is challenged. I have spasms through the diaphram and stomach, through psoas muscle buttock and leg into my foot. THe nerve irritation is constant , I rarely take any pain medication although some times my pain is very servere. I have had all kinds of treatment, I think I have covered the lot. Can you help me
Firstly, huge thanks for the kindness in sharing your knowledge and expertise!
Here are my findings:
Naturally, my wrists were definitely angled and it took effort to try and relax/flatten them. When I did, several things happened:
1. My fingers come up as my wrists go down. I could not keep my whole hand flat. Don't know if that is significant at all?
2. As I flattened my wrists, I could feel tension in my upper back – mainly around the shoulder blades. As part or this I think my ribs would rise (only a little) from the floor.
All of that was on the first test that I tried to do naturally. On subsequent tests I focused my mind onto my upper back and ribs, and with this I was able to flatten my wrists and feel less stress in the upper back AND keep my ribs to the floor. The fingers issue remained though no matter what!
I was unable to put my forarms to the ground. My left shoulder was totally frozen a year ago, so I am not surprized that that arm was a good six inches off.. But for the right to still be off the ground by a few inches was an eye opener. Looking forward to learning some stretches to remedy this.
Loved your you tube video for the hip stretch. I can really feel that working my sore hip and sciatica.
Thanks.
Im only 20 years old and I could not do it. My right wrist is about 1 inch off the ground, my left about 2.
I could do this test easily.
I could only get my wrists about 1 inch from the ground. 32 y/o male.
Could not get my ribs all the way to the floor, I could get the tips of my fingers in. My wrists were off the floor about an inch on each side. 65 yr.old female.
I could not even get on the floor. My lower right back has 2 rupurted disk ,& a sciatic nerve &hip area(aug.26,2004),& the middle of my right arch foot i(9-1-2011)s killing me. if i dont take my pain patches, somas, I dont get out of bed. I can do the exercises in my bed. btw,, My left lower back has 2 ruperted disk and 2 bluging disk in feb.2009.lucky me just gets to wake up and this is how i am.
i am trying to do the one where you sit in the chair and cross the leg. & keep a straight back. I have had several mri's show every part that is broken, or has no cartlage in between the disk. basically bone on bone. killer pain. ,(xrays dont seem to show anything)
couldn't quite make it
My wrist's did not come close to the ground. My left about 6" and right 4" off the ground. 41 / male
My right wrist was not problem at all, but my left wrist was off the floor about 1/2 an inch and I definitely did feel some stress in my left shoulder trying to get the wrist to touch the floor!
I was able to perform this movement however I did feel a lot of tightness under my arms..the pectoral muscles.
I couldn't get my left wrist down due to a dislocated shoulder injury 24 years ago. I am now 69 years old and my shoulders need some work. Also, I am working with a PT on an injured piriformus and gluteus medius. I have pain just above my left knee when I walk or when I stand on the leg for any length of time. It comes and goes with exertion, but is consistent in its location. I thought sciatic pain travelled down the outside of the leg? Is this piriformus or glute or both? Your site has been very helpful. Thanks.
Hey Dianne,
That location is not a classic referral pattern for glutes or piriformis but the body doesn’t read the textbook.
May be rectus femoris or vastus medialus trigger point referral SEE IMAGE
Worth looking into with your PT. Also look into some manual therapy if you’re not currently. It can be invaluable.
Reprogramming deep core stability and reversing the CPS will help the whole system work more efficiently for the long haul.
Bless you for getting back to me. I will ask my PT and my Rolfer to investigate this. I have been working really hard on rebuilding my core since being injured in January. I have classic CPS in the lower body and the massage and exercises are working. I look and feel better but still have a long way to go. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Dianne. Keep the INTENTION of pushing away from support points from moment to moment and it all happens much faster.
the problem I have is with my left wrist connecting with the floor. It will not flush with the floor. My fingers wiil touch the floor but the wrist does not. I have been going to the chiropractor for lower back problems and left shoulder pain.
That’s most common with upper crossed usually due to tight fascia / muscles in chest wall and shoulder external rotators.
The exercise series will help with this…foam angels especially. Better motion through chest also helps take load off your low back.
Be sure to get soft tissue / muscle release work and rehab like on this site and in our training and coaching site and not just adjustments and other passive therapies only.
Here’s to rewiring your posture and movement programs!
drh
My left side is fine but my right shoulder is nowhere near the ground. I have a chronic problem with my right shoulder (about 4 years) and am only just now trying to fix it. A few weeks ago on top of the chronic problem my whole shoulder got inflamed for no obvious reason and I could hardly move it for about a week.
Sounds like it’s time to take some action, Harriet! Believe it or not, shoulder health all starts with the Organic Core. Pay attention to baby bell and baby back in the free Reverse CPS Now! fundamental exercise series to get in tune with it.
The T4 mobilization and foam/floor angel also merits your attention.
You can get yourself out of this with some new programming, Harriet!
A declaration that will help you is “I am so grateful that I’m finally finding solutions that keep my shoulders mobile and pain free.”
It will help break the loop in your brain of recreating the same thing over and over with your shoulder.
drh
Thanks so much – I printed out the exercises – could I ask what is the dimension and any other specification of the foam roller?
Love the declaration. H
36 x 6 inch, Harriet. You can see the basic tools we use in our full course at http://www.gettoyourcore.com/posturetools/
Have fun!
drh
Definite fail….I do have Upper and Lower Cross Syndrome. Both wrists were up in the air, my right hand touching the floor near the fingertips. The left hand was probably two inches off the floor at the fingertips.
Good thing the brain and body are “plastic” and “changeable”!
Time for a little rewiring and remodeling, Robert. This site was built for people like you.
drh
I did fine on this one. Eager to see the next self-test.
Remember…you have access to them all from the dashboard at http://www.gettoyourcore.com/free-series-dashboard
My follow ups are reminders to actually do them
drsteve
Thanks for the reminder e-mail. Actually, I was able to achieve all the requirements of the self test no. 1. Also, I viewed your video on the piriformis and tried it with good results. Seem to improving after straining the lower back area following a little to ambitious weight training session last week. Sometimes I forget I am 75.
That’s GREAT, Karl! I’m impressed with your shoulder mobility. Just be sure to keep your back support zone connected at all times because that ability reflects your base of power.
Glad you liked the hip stretch.
Keep getting after it, my friend!
drsteve
My arms easily lie on the floor but it takes effort to keep the ribs touching. There was a little tightness over the anterior left chest/shoulder but I’ve had a mastectomy on that side.
I’ve had lots of post mastectomy patients regain their mobility.
Two words…foam angels (see exercise series at http://www.gettoyourcore.com/cps-exercise-solutions/
Be consistent and you’re body will adapt on your behalf. -drh