the Somatics blog
Exploring how the brain controls posture and movement, why we experience muscle and joint pain,
and how we can live our lives to the fullest.
10 Shocking Ways That Your Posture Affects Your Health
Muscle memory determines our habitual posture. I’ll tell you how to retrain your muscle memory and change your posture at the end of the post, but first read these 10 ways that your posture affects your health—they’ll probably shock you![…]
7 Reasons Why Every Athlete Should Do Clinical Somatics
The benefits of Clinical Somatics exercises are so life-changing that every athlete needs to be doing them in order to improve their performance, prevent injuries, and extend their athletic career. […]
Combining Your Clinical Somatics and Yoga Practices
One of the questions that students ask me most often is whether or not they should continue their yoga practice while doing Clinical Somatics exercises […]
The Myth of Aging: What’s Inevitable, and What Isn’t?
The Myth of Aging: What's Inevitable, and What Isn't? We like to blame a lot of things on aging: our lack of energy, our stiff joints and sore muscles, our rounded shoulders, and our expanding waistlines. But are these changes in our body and functioning inevitable—or are they a result of gradual changes in our [...]
The Cause of Idiopathic Scoliosis: Involuntary Muscle Contraction
The Cause of Idiopathic Scoliosis: Involuntary Muscle Contraction Scoliosis is regarded as mysterious and incurable by many people in the medical community. While some cases are caused by congenital structural abnormalities or neurological or muscular diseases, the vast majority—around 85%—are of unknown cause. The fact is, the bones in our body do not move [...]
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Anatomy, Causes, and Treatment with Clinical Somatics
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Anatomy, Causes, and Treatment with Clinical Somatics Thoracic outlet syndrome might sound a little scary, but most cases are functional—meaning they can be prevented and often eliminated completely. When tight muscles or poor posture compress the thoracic outlet, you may experience symptoms such as pain and numbness in your shoulder, arm, [...]
The Functional Cause of Sciatica
The Functional Cause of Sciatica Sciatica often occurs along with back pain, which 80% of Americans will experience at some point in their lives. By the time your doctor diagnoses you with sciatica, the cause may appear to be structural—most commonly, a herniated disc pressing on the root of the sciatic nerve. However, as [...]
The Myth of Uneven Leg Length
The Myth of Uneven Leg Length Your doctor or chiropractor may have told you that you have one leg longer than the other, and that your leg length discrepancy is the cause of your back, hip, or knee pain. The truth is that while it's certainly possible to have one leg longer than the [...]
What is the Stretch Reflex (Myotatic Reflex)?
What is the stretch reflex (myotatic reflex)? From a young age, we’re taught that stretching is a necessary part of any workout routine. If we’re involved in sports or physical training, we stretch to warm up, cool down, and during breaks to help us stay loose. Unfortunately, stretching usually doesn’t accomplish much, mainly due to [...]
Fix Forward Head Posture with Pandiculation
Fix Forward Head Posture with Pandiculation Forward head posture is becoming an epidemic due to constant use of smartphones and computers. When we look downward over and over, the muscles in the front of our neck, our chest, and our abdomen become chronically contracted—and they keep us stuck in forward head posture all the [...]
What is the Gamma Loop?
What is the gamma loop? The gamma loop (also referred to as the alpha-gamma loop) is a feedback loop in our nervous system that regulates the level of tension in our muscles. The way the gamma loop works can get a little confusing, so in this post I'm going to explain it as simply as [...]
What is Pandiculation?
What is pandiculation? Pandiculation is generally defined as the act of stretching oneself and yawning, especially upon waking. However, our automatic pandicular response has far more significance than simply prompting us to stretch and yawn. As you'll learn in this post, pandiculation is a fundamental part of our neuromuscular functioning. In fact, when it comes [...]
Getting out of the Fibromyalgia Pain Cycle
Getting out of the Fibromyalgia Pain Cycle Fibromyalgia is a painful, often debilitating condition with many symptoms. The causes can seem mysterious, so determining a successful treatment approach can be daunting. In this post I'll discuss how fibromyalgia can be the result of an ongoing, self-perpetuating cycle of chronic pain, psychological stress, overactive immune system [...]