Dooley Noted: 3/21/2014
Last night, I received an important question.
Patient: “How do I know when it’s just too much stretch for the neck?”
When a pattern has been ingrained for an indefinite amount of time, there’s no quantitative answer to this question.
So, the frustrating – but honest – answer arises:
Dooley: “It depends. There’s a stretching curve.”
Stretch a muscle group without providing underlying stability, and you can bet it will respond with rebound tightness.
So, how do you measure quality?
You breathe and go slowly into movement resets.
You never stretch a muscle group just for the sake of stretching it because it’s tight.
You have sought out assessment and were provided a holistic correction.
You have an understanding that the tightness was a learned behavior, and no magic stretch can replace well-deserved – and earned – stability and mobility.
So, ease into the stretching you’ve been assigned.
Breathing should always be the primary focus, so a shelf of stability is provided with every breath, taken all day and all night.
When stretching, learn to feel in yourself where you’ve been compensating.
Stop the autopilot. Your “normal” feeling might be a dysfunctional pattern.
Take photos.
Take videos.
Study yourself.
Learn yourself.
Get assessed.
Get corrected.
It’s all day, every day to evolve into the correction.
Carry it over into life.
Or, you can stretch for the sake of stretching and get limited relief that is sure to return.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley