The Muscles that Engage the "Core"
by Dennis Gibbons, LMT
Dennis Gibbons, LMT
“The body is like a tightrope walker, making small adjustments right and left, backwards, and forwards, in order to keep his balance. A small deviation from equilibrium can add up over time to a functional difficulty. Good health is not a state, but a search for equilibrium. The treatment must be light and subtle.” Jacques Descotes, former President of the French Osteopathic Association.
This month’s article features muscles that are relatively unknown yet their value is important to the body’s ability to maintain its true postural center or equilibrium. These muscles also allow the hip to open as it stabilizes the lower extremity and protects the knee from injury. I would like to introduce you to the Gracilis muscles. They are a thin band that travels down each leg from your pubic bone and attaches to the Tibia bone in the lower leg. Many Massage Therapists’ know it as the rope that travels up the inner thigh that just doesn’t want to relax. Others blame their tight hamstrings on these muscles. For Yoga students who have trouble opening their hips, especially in mediation pose, these muscles are probably preventing you from letting the knee go down toward the floor. This is typically the “pulled” groin muscle that many athletes have. At Overload Fitness™ the use of the infamous leg press machine should challenge the Gracilis and help it strengthen its position in the “core” group of muscles. At Chagrin Valley Wellness Center we help develop and strengthen the Gracilis in our Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ classes.
Why are the Gracilis muscles so important and why don’t typical Adductor machines strengthen them? Notice its configuration in the illustration; it moves from the front of the Tibia bone (below the knee joint) upwards in an oblique or diagonal format and finally attaches to lateral part of the pubic bone. Unlike other adductor muscles that attach to the Femur (thigh bone), the Gracilis bypasses the Femur completely. Therefore, it is a postural muscle, not a muscle of dynamics. If you want to experience the Gracilis, place an 8” Pilates ball between your knees, don’t squeeze, just hold it there. The muscles that will start to shake within minutes will be the Gracilis.
In Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ the Gracilis are truly the first muscles to engage as they turn on the other 28 centering muscles. Upon exhalation is where movement is initiated, often without the individual’s knowledge. As the Gracilis engages, it stabilizes the knee joint
In Fundamental Movement Pilates℠ the Gracilis are truly the first muscles to engage as they turn on the other 28 centering muscles. Upon exhalation is where movement is initiated, often without the individual’s knowledge. As the Gracilis engages, it stabilizes the knee joint
Medial view adductor group
while, perhaps more importantly, assisting the pubic bone in the release of the pelvic floor, which acts as the body’s fourth diaphragm. Exhalation gives the Gracilis the information from the brain that it needs to recruit the rest of the centering muscles. The body’s shield is such that the brain and spine must always be protected from any unusual strain. This is what the quote was referring to as our equilibrium.
The definition of Equilibrium:
The definition of Equilibrium:
- a stable situation in which forces cancel out one another
- balance: equality of distribution
- a sensory system located in structures of the inner ear that registers the orientation of the head
When teaching others about the Gracilis I often refer to it as a muscle that does not contract or shorten like many others in the body. Upon presentation to the brain to move, the body engages [to come together and interlock (as of machinery parts: be or become in gear)] these muscles of the inner thigh and creates the proprioception of movement. This engagement will signal the body to create its own equilibrium to allow movement so that it will not compromise the brain and spinal cord. For example, if we were to roll our ankle on a pebble, the perception of the body would be some form of compromised movement that could encumber the brain and spinal cord. The body will often “lock” these centering muscles for protection and alter many other areas to create a sense of equilibrium. This sense of equilibrium is called compensation. This is what is evaluated and treated with Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® and once the balance has been restored, it is reinforced and maintained with Fundamental Movement Pilates℠.
The Gracilis muscles engage when going from a seated to standing position, so there is no forward leaning when properly engaged. This forward leaning creates an unnatural curve to the vertebral column, which because of its geography, compromises the spinal cord. Upon standing these muscles will stabilize the knee joint properly to allow for extension. If these muscles are in a weakened state and/or unable to engage the body senses the equilibrium is compromised and will alter its structure enough to complete the movement.
Hip Joint
A complaint often addressed in our therapy rooms, “I went out for a casual walk and before I knew it my knees and hips started to ache.” The hip joint, although round in form, moves similar to an egg, with the pointy end downward into the socket, and moves more in an elliptical pattern.
When the Gracilis muscles do not engage properly, the head of the Femur consequently drops into the socket and places undue pressure on the bursa sac and the cartilage. This alters the movement of the Femur bone and will compress the knee joint. You can often notice people walking with a limp or in straight leg format.
When the Gracilis muscles do not engage properly, the head of the Femur consequently drops into the socket and places undue pressure on the bursa sac and the cartilage. This alters the movement of the Femur bone and will compress the knee joint. You can often notice people walking with a limp or in straight leg format.
Many weight lifting individuals come in and talk about their sore back or a “pulled” muscle incurred while working out. Once again, therapy will often reveal one, if not both, of the Gracilis muscles unable to engage or locked in an engaged position. This can happen when lifting too heavy of a weight or holding improper posture while performing the movement. Maintaining a proper center is important to move great weights. Remember we are opposing gravity, even on machines when properly positioned. One reason many people injure themselves while performing machine workouts is that they end up favoring their strong side, thus altering the weak side enough to create a torque at the connection of the tendon and/or muscle along the periosteum (the connective tissue covering surrounding the bone) that the muscle fibers will twist themselves accordingly. That is why we insist on proper form when performing structured movement on our equipment in the Pilates studio.
Dentists, Surgeons, Hairstylists, Massage Therapists and almost anyone with a desk job typically develop problems when the Gracilis muscle performs improperly. Oftentimes these individuals need to alter their center point when performing their tasks. This will often lead to neck, shoulder, low-back and hip problems. Once the Gracilis muscle is “turned on” it signals the other 28 centering muscles to engage and maintain the body’s equilibrium in posture.
A review of the 30 centering muscles:
- 2 – Gracilis
- 2 - Sartorious
- 8 – Adductor (Pectineus, Brevis, Longus and Magnus)
- 4 – Pelvic Floor
- 6 – Abdominal (Transverse, External and Internal Oblique)
- 4 – Gluteals (Minimus and Medius)
- 2 – Lumbar Multifudi
- 2 – Rhomboids
Function equals Movement
Movement reveals Structure
Structure determines Movement
If you are experiencing any unusual pain or if you would like an evaluation to see whether or not your Gracilis muscles are fundamentally working, please call or email the office to set up a free consultation with one of our therapists or instructors and we will gladly help you. In the meantime, find an 8” Pilates ball and, while watching TV, Twittering, or “Facebooking,” sit there and just hold. No squeezing (like Charmin), and let that muscle re-pattern itself. This doesn’t solve the problem but will help in a temporary manner to alleviate some of your discomfort.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and remember to be Well.
Peace and Many Blessings to all,
Dennis
appointments@chagrinvalleywellness.com