The classic textbook that all medical doctors and chiropractors studied from in our respective medical school and chiropractic colleges was and will continue to be Guyton & Hall, Textbook of Medical Physiology.
In many ways Guyton’s Physiology is our bible. It is the primary book we all pull off of our shelves during more difficult cases.
Guyton’s allow doctors to refresh their knowledge on the details and core mechanisms of how and why the body does what it does.
Although Guyton’s offers a wealth of knowledge, the true value of the knowledge rest not so much in the information, but rather in how it is understood, and finally how it is applied.
Up to this point, medical doctors have done an admirable job applying the wisdom contained on those rice-paper thin pages of this huge textbook.
Here is the big HOWEVER.
There is a new and different way to view and understand the wisdom found within this book. According to the amazing investigative research of my teacher and mentor Dr. Alan R. Bonebrake, it is my honor to present you in this and upcoming blogs specific Guyton Physiology passages, that when properly understood and applied will allow you to make major positive changes in your life.
For too long the information within this book has been considered by the general public as “rocket-science,” meaning information too difficult and impractical to understand.
My intention is to explain what the passage says, what it means, and more importantly how you can use this information to improve your life.
Today’s quote and many in the future can be found in my book: The Pain and Instability Solution, which I highly recommend you buy and read in order to understand how you can transform your body for the better by supporting and empowering your nervous system to work for long term health, as opposed to how it is for many. That is the nervous system locking up the body for its own survival, like a turtle whose head is fixed within its shell.
The first, and crucially important passage:
GUYTON TEXTBOOK OF MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY, 5th ed.
STANDING POSTURE
p.708
“…man walks in an upright position and his limbs have become straightened to the point that almost no muscular strength is required to maintain the weight of the body against gravity. For instance, the direct line between the center of mass of the body and the direction of gravitational pull runs slightly behind the axes of the hip joints so that gravity tends to extend the hips and so that the ligaments of the hip joints, rather than the muscles, support the body against gravity.
When you truly understand the above passage, you will then comprehend the core reason behind many, if not most causes of the pain.
Man is the only mammal to stand upright on two feet.
Our brains are responsible tightening muscles on the front of the body and on the back just right in order to keep the body upright. As stated in the book and previous blogs. “Ligaments hold bones, muscles move bones.”
The most important ligament in the body is the sacral iliac ligament, holding the three independent bones of the hip together. To the extent that the ligaments can not hold the skeleton together, the muscles of the body then have too.
In order to really understand this concept, you must think differently.
Society has trained us to focus more on “Where it hurts,” opposed to “Why it hurts.” To concentrate strictly on where it hurts locks your thinking and actions to seek relief of just that area.
In terms of medical approaches, people will buy over the counter drugs specific for just headaches, back pain, or even menstrual cramps. If that doesn’t work, more advanced medical approaches start you on the road to stronger pain relievers, cortisone injections, nerve blocks and finally surgery.
The non-medical/non-medicinal route will have a person seek relief from massage therapists, chiropractors, and other body workers trained in releasing muscle tension, body tension, realigning the spine. Other disciplines preach that the body is simply weak and muscles should be strengthen in a gym or through physical therapy. When too tight, take up yoga stretching.
The problem with all these approaches is that although they are all correct and they all get results, often they are not completely right and what is needed to restore the body to optimal function where the person is pain-free.
The key to become and stay pain free is to understand what the nervous system needs to run the body optimally.
That is balance.
Stick to the basics, “Ligaments hold bones together, muscles move bones.” Stress causes the body to tighten muscles in all sorts of directions. Over time, tight muscles overstretch the ligaments. (The book goes into greater detail on this point.)
Overstretched ligaments cause the nervous system to feel like the body progressively very unstable. To the brain, the controlling the body is like attempting to walk on board ship during choppy waters. True stability or balance are compromised.
As previously stated, balance is everything. From our caveman days, if you cannot balance the body enough to run, jump and evade attack, you become the prey, and you are dead. To our nervous system, balance is that profound and that simple.
What can be done?
In clinic, the first thing I do with many patents complaining of all types of different aches and pain is to neurologically test them for weakened ligaments.
When they test positive, I fit them with a sacroiliac belt by Serola Biomechanics.
From experience, the belt Serola puts out is superior, and long lasting. Other belts would lose their binding ability within a short time. Patients are instructed to wear this belt on top of there underwear and under their clothes for a period of three months.
What usually happens in that most are significantly pain free within about two to three weeks. However the body needs that time to tighten up not only the ligaments of the hips, but also to rebalance and reset multiple muscle combinations it was forced to activate, often for many years attempting to – as always – hold the best balance possible.
For those suffering from chronic pain.
You can feel quite safe in purchasing a Serola belt and wearing it for three months. For those whom I can not personally treat I would highly recommend wearing the belt all day, every day, except when showering or sleeping. Then after two weeks, go to your local chiropractor so they can evaluate you and put whatever was out of place, back in place.
You will find that now your body will have better stability, and now you will be able to hold your adjustments longer.
