In our last discussion we left off talking about how poor posture can lead to musculo-skeletal issues. Unfortunately that’s probably the least of your worries. When we take a deeper look into the body we begin to see that one can not separate a musculo-skeletal issues from organ issues, from a blood issue, from a detoxification system issue. The body is a system of systems all overlapping. The forward head posture, the shoulders rounded, or what we will call from this point on, Upper Cross Syndrome is compressing your lymph glands under your axilla (which is your arm pit). This compression inhibits the ability of the lymph to pass trough smoothly creating stagnation of the lymph system. Your musculo-skeletal issues just became a detoxification system issue. Digging further into Upper Cross Syndrome we find a tightening and facilitating (over use) of the secondary respiratory muscles (pec minor, scalenes, levator scap, and upper trap). These muscles are all meant to assist in breathing, but as they become facilitated they wreak havoc on your respiratory system. Your rib cage becomes somewhat fixed, and you can’t draw in full breaths. This is going to lead to a state of low level hyperventilation, or what is known as Respiratory Alkalosis. Respiratory Alkalosis is when you’re not maintaining enough carbon dioxide in your body, because your breathing rate is too shallow. You have probably seen people have panic attacks, that’s an example of Respiratory Alkalosis and what you see them do? You take a paper bag, and you breathe into the bag.
More on motor engrams and respiratory function next week….