Dislocations, frequent

Excessive tension among muscles and tendons on one side of a joint move the bone off-center in the joint, predisposing to injury or complete dislocation.

Displaced Patella (Kneecap)

Quadriceps (front thigh muscles) unequally tight (see Dislocations, frequent).

Dizziness / Vertigo

Caused by excessive neck tension and off-center, off-balance head position.

The eyes, balance centers of the inner ears, and muscles of the neck are connected via brain-level reflexes controlled at the brain stem. The muscles of the neck move the head; the balance centers of the inner ear sense head movement. The eyes move with head movement to continue tracking whatever is being looked at. The brain coordinates these movements.

When the head is off-center, the brain senses the situation and maintains head-balance by means of muscular actions (corrective movements). When neck tension is excessive, however, the brain's corrective response is also excessive, which causes above-normal movements of the eyes, which creates excessive feedback to the brain stem (the sensations of movement). (Have you ever experienced the sensations of movement while watching a film?) The combination of incorrect sensory feedback, over-correction, excessive eye movement and feedback to the brain stem creates a spinning sensation.These sensations commonly abate immediately as neck tension comes under natural control and head movement and position normalizes.

Foot Pain/Tired Feet

Often caused by swayback (tight back muscles). 

A too-forward posture overburdens the front of the feet and calves. Tight foot muscles get tired and sore. The soft-tissue of the feet gets stretched and irritated. The key is to relax the muscles of the back (to end swayback).

Frequent Urination

Sometimes called "weak kidneys" or "overactive bladder" (misnamed in both cases) 

Tight abdominal muscles and floor of the pelvis reduce room for the bladder to expand, causing pressure to build up before the bladder is full. Sensors in the urethra report the pressure as fullness. Also, the sphincter muscles of the urethra become conditioned to a heightened state of tension by the frequent pressure, interfering with the ability to void the bladder. The involved muscular tensions must be normalized for normal filling and voiding to occur.

Hamstrings, Taut

Causes what is sometimes called, "a pulled hamstring" (actually, there are three hamstrings). Inability to relax hamstrings to extend to their full length: a conditioning problem signifying incomplete control (ability to relax and to freely use) that muscle group. The need to stretch hamstrings hamstrings always in partial contraction. The pain of hamstring pulls and their tendency to occur can be ended or reduced by somatic education.

Headaches

• Tension: habituated tension of the suboccipital neck muscles, which pull upon the connective tissue that enwraps the skull.
• Migraine: vascular. Chronic contraction of the deep neck musculature along the sides and around the atlas (C1) may involve interference with the blood-pressure sensors in blood in the neck vessels. In any case, headaches end as the tension level of these muscles normalizes. The same deep neck musculature pulls the upper vertebrae against the base of the cranium causing additional mechanical pain.
• Sinus: sinuses drain through the lining of the throat. Then throat muscles are tight, draining is blocked by the tension of the lining. As those muscles relax, draining has been observed to start immediately.

Hip/Hip Joint Pain

• Overcompression by tight muscles
• Cartilage loss
• Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Often, pain is misdiagnosed as coming from the joint, when it comes from the muscles that surround the joint. 

However, long-term overcompression of the joint by tight muscles leads to cartilage breakdown (thinning and loss). Bone-on-bone contact in the joint results, leading to joint-replacement surgery and to possible subsequent leg length difference and sciatica (see sciatica.

Sometimes, hip joint pain is a symptom of a twisted sacrum (sacroiliac joint dysfunction/sacroileitis). 

Groin Pain

Three main possible causes:

• tight thigh adductor muscles (inner thigh)
• tight psoas muscles (inner groin)
• turned sacrum/sacroiliac muscle strain

Insomnia

Overstimulated nervous system -- from chronic overwork, chronically excited disposition, anxiety, or other conditions -- prevent the natural drift into sleep. Somatic education can dispel or "down-regulate" that overstimulation.

Joint Pain (general | see entries for hip pain, shoulder pain, knee pain)

Overcompression by tight muscles. One must develop natural control of the muscles that cross the troublesome joint. Look also for unbalanced weight-bearing due to postural distortions, which places excessive burden on the troublesome joint(s). 

Knee Pain

Short or overcontracted hamstrings contribute to knee pain by preventing the knee from straightening under the load of walking. Such overcontraction also predisposes to knee injuries by pulling on the meniscus of the knee or by causing grinding of the patella (kneecap) against the joint.

Muscle Pain

Chronic muscle pain nearly always comes from being too tight -- almost never from being too weak. If muscle pain persists past any reasonable healing period, it's not from an injury; it's almost always from muscle fatigue. You need to recondition your muscular control to able to relax, again, so sore muscles get refreshed and feel all right, again.

Osteoarthritis

Catch-all term for joint pain and inflammation; not the name of a "disease" (such as, rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease). Osteoarthritis comes from joint overcompression and disintegration of joint cartilage caused by constantly-tight muscles.

If cartilage remains, osteo-arthritis can generally be stopped by clinical somatic education -- first, by removing the overcompression (rapid improvement), then by natural healing of cartilage (more gradual completion of healing).

Pain, Chronic

A high percentage of chronic pain comes from muscular soreness due to over-fatigue. Chronically tight muscles develop a chronic "burn," experienced as body aches or mysterious pains. Muscles anywhere in the body may be involved. Tendons may also be overstretched (tendinitis) or bursae (fluid-filled sacs) entrapped under tight tendons (bursitis).

Pain, Migrating

Sometimes experienced by people receiving massage therapy, stretching, or chiropractic adjustments. Muscular tensions in areas not addressed by the therapy may increase and become painful. Forced relaxation (stretching) or postural shifts without a corresponding gain of muscular control sometimes trigger pain.

Psoas Muscle Pain

Sometimes called "weak" psoas muscles (usually wrongly), this kind of pain originates from muscle fatigue of overly tight psoas muscles, which run from the inner groin to the lumbar spine. Usually causing a top-forward pelvic tilt (excessive lumbar lordosis or curve) and a deep fold at the groin, tight psoas muscles cause low back fatigue, chronic constipation (explained in the entry linked, below) pelvic and "stomach" pain. Somatic training is usually sufficient to free contracted psoas muscles and to restore healthy function.

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POSSIBLE MISDIAGNOSIS 

People sometimes misdiagnose S-I (sacroiliac) joint dysfunction (or sacroileitis) as psoas muscle pain because symptoms of both may appear at the groin -- but psoas muscle contraction is a secondary effect of S-I joint dysfunction, not the primary cause of the pain. Attempts to relieve tight psoas without correcting S-I joint dysfunction may lead to rebound intensification of pain in the pelvis.

Pain in the region of the S-I joints may also result from excessive tension of the muscles of the low back, which are connected to soft-tissue in the sacro-iliac area. Such tension, in combination with buttock tension, can cause pain that mimics sacro-iliac pain.

Sacro-iliac Pain

The result of displacement of the sacrum (central pelvic bone) from its well-seated position, typically by injury (a blow, hard fall, or repetitive twist-and-lift actions). Muscular contractions/excessive muscular tension of the muscles of the buttock responsible for leg rotation (toe-out or in) and uneven pulls by waist muscles, change the angle of the pelvis and forces going through the S-I joints, and so maintain the dysfunctional condition.

Relieved by first relieving the sacrum of compression forces that keep one sacroiliac joint jammed, then by normalizing muscle/movement memory related to the pelvis and pelvic structure, changing weight-bearing and tension patterns, which causes the sacrum to migrate back to its well-seated position and healthy movement patterns.

Sciatica

Typically caused by a combination of side tilt and swayback, induced by states of tension in the musculature. The misalignment entraps the nerve at its points of exit from the spinal column.

The sciatic nerve sometimes passes through the body of the piriformis (buttock) muscle may get entrapped there, if the muscle gets chronically contracted.

Scoliosis

Distortion of spinal curves and rotation of ribs by muscular tensions or bone deformity.

Most commonly caused by muscular tensions following injury to the side of the trunk or to leg or hip ("functional scoliosis"). If injured during growth period, may lead to uneven bone growth and create permanent distortions of posture and movement. Bone deformity may result from genetic cause ("idiopathic scoliosis").

For scoliosis of muscular origin ("functional scoliosis") correction or complete improvement possible with somatic education. For scoliosis from bone deformity, improvements of movement and comfort are possible, but the scoliosis will remain.

Shoulder, tight/painful

A common accompaniment of back pain from stress and nervous tension, shoulder muscle pain may also result from the shock of an injury that prompts one to tighten up/reflexively guard the injury (e.g., a fall or broken bone). "Frozen Shoulder" is commonly misdiagnosed as resulting from adhesions, whereas it usually results from highly contracted muscles immobilizing arm movement at the joint. "Frozen Shoulder" commonly "unfreezes" as soon as muscular suppleness is restored (by means of somatic education), without need for addressing "adhesions".

Shoulder joint pain occurs in three varieties:

• NERVE PAIN
• JOINT PAIN
• BURSITIS

NERVE PAIN

Compression of the nerve to the shoulder by muscles in the neck creates sensation as if the shoulder were injured. The solution is to free the neck muscles and so to discompress the nerve by that means, rather than surgically (which may involve removal of neck muscles).

JOINT PAIN

The shoulder joint is designed to permit arm side-lift to 90 degrees (parallel to the ground). Further lifting requires the scapula (shoulder blade) to lift along with the arm. If muscles underneath the shoulder are tight, they prevent scapular movement, causing the humerus (upper arm bone) to jam into the joint, causing pain and cartilage damage (over time). The solution is to free the movement of the involved muscles (latissimus dorsi, pectoralis, serratus anterior).

BURSITIS

A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that cushions a tendon. At the shoulder, if the muscles are tight, their tendons are taut and compress the bursa, causing bursitis. The solution is to free the movements of the related muscles. (to article)

Spinal Stenosis

Narrowing of the spinal canal, through which the spinal cord passes, commonly diagnosed as the cause of pain. 

Sometimes misdiagnosed, particularly when pain comes and goes. Pain that comes and goes does not come from a narrowing of the spinal canal, which remains constant in size even as the pain varies. It comes from changes of muscular tension along the spine, which may create temporary nerve entrapment or muscular pain. 

Such pain may also result from hip joint dysfunction or sacroiliac joint dysfunction (twisted sacrum), which can be corrected by means of somatic education.

Tendinitis / Tendonitis / Tendinosis

Tendons are like straps or bands of tissue that extend from the ends of muscle and attach to bone. Tendons are passive and do not get tight by themselves; they get tight when their muscles tighten and shorten. Tendinitis (or tendinosis) occurs when a muscle stays tight for long periods, as when protective reflexes get activated by injury. Strain on the tendon and friction of the tendon with surrounding tissue irritate the tendon and lead to inflammation and pain: tendonitis.

The necessary solution is to recapture control of the involved muscles from the involuntary reflexes (via somatic education). Without that step, anti-inflammatory drugs (such as cortizone) provide only temporary and symptomatic relief, while the injurious condition continues

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome ("T.O.S.")

Impingement of the brachial (side of the neck) nerve plexus (cluster) resulting from spasticity of muscles of the neck (scalenes) may create the feeling of one or both arms being "on fire". Can often be corrected by freeing the neck musculature of excessive muscular tension.

TMD/TMJ Syndrome/TMJ Dysfunction

Related to tight jaw and neck muscles. The sub-occipital muscles may be involved, as they contract when the mouth is opened fully as one reaches forward in biting. Frequently accompanied by headaches.

Can be relieved by releasing the movements of the cranium (skull) and neck from the jawbone in all directions of movement.

More severe cases may involve the deep muscles of the throat (longus colli and capitus) associated with the larynx, the musculature associated with the tongue, and the entire rib cage. (to ARTICLE)

Uneven Leg Length

Sometimes actual; often misdiagnosed (even when measured). Commonly results from leg retraction (pulling up and in), change of pelvic position (one hip hiked up), and/or compression of hip joint cartilage by tight muscles around the hip joint; sometimes indicates hip joint degeneration (loss of cartilage) over a long period of muscular hip joint compression.

Whiplash-related Neck Pain

Persistent pain and dizziness result from involuntary muscular contraction of neck muscles and from interference with postural maintenance of upright head position. Acute (intense, short-term) symptoms may indicate soft-tissue damage (see dizziness).

Hypermobility

Hypermobility is commonly misunderstood. The term, itself, is misleading.

Muscles work as opposing pairs, such as biceps:triceps or back muscles:abdominals.

When one of the pair is excessively tight, the other is excessively loose: hypermobility.

The key to correcting hypermobility isn't strengthening, but releasing the overtight member of the pair and then developing balanced control over them.

Neck Pain

Most neck pain comes from tight muscles triggered to get tight and stay tight by a sudden jolting the movement, such as a fall or whiplash. The pain is muscle fatigue.

To clear up neck pain, retrain the muscles the move the neck and head.