Muscle Activation Technique: Session 5

Saturday, I had my fifth weekly Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) appointment. If I were to rate  myself before starting this process as I would say that my body (alignment and movement) were about 20-30% of where I would like it to be. It is a feeling I am very used to, but never satisfied with because it just never feels right. After the 4th session of MAT, I had an interesting week. I thought I was about 70-80% of where I should be and that is a huge improvement. Working on the muscles of my lower legs and feet have really been revealing. I had good days that week and days I thought my feet might be unraveling. By that I mean for the first time in years, it seems that my left foot points straight ahead or nearly close to that and I have so much more function and mobility in my feet and ankles which translates right up my leg, hip, and back into vastly improved movement. This I am very happy about.

I did a slow start to exercising again at the YMCA last week.

Monday:  5 miles cycling, 1/3 mile running, 1 mile ellipitcal
Tuesday:  5 miles cycling, 1/3 mile running, 1 mile elliptical 1/3 mile running (stopped as soon as hip muscles tightened up)
Friday: 5 miles cycling, 1 mile running, 1 mile elliptical (no more running as my hip seems to tighten up after the elliptical machine- its time to no longer use this machine)

The running felt straighter, however I still have a lot of tightness at the front and side of my left hip and my glutes start seizing up from tightness also. Despite that, I have had a hard time running slow as everything else feels light and loose and ready to run. The big question I had all week was, "Oh no! When is it all going to fall apart? Is my foot starting to point to the outside again, because when it does it throws my knee and hip off?  This had me nervous as I saw such great improvement and I want it to stick.

At the MAT appointment on Saturday, I had more work done on my lower legs.It seemed to be more a finishing touch on some muscles and a review of muscles already tested. Since that appointment, I feel like things are at 80-90% and my feet feel solid on the ground including my left big toe and toe joint that never seemed to touch the ground before. I don't sense it falling apart like what would happen last week. For me I can walk and run with a freedom and ease that I haven't' had since I don't know when. I still have to concentrate to do a full stride to complete my gait as I walk, but I am starting to feel like I am getting to something more normal. Yes, I still fear that it will fall apart and I will be forced into old patterns again, but this week is improved as my feet feel more solid and secure in its positioning.

I have also got out of the YMCA and started a very slow build up to running. I have done 2 miles a day now, for 3 days in a row and I hope to continue doing this until my hip and glute loosens up. It may take a few weeks or even a few months, but I am going to be patient and get it right. I still have a pinching and tightness in the inner adductors and my glutes and outer hip can get tight, but I am hoping that some of this is due to a new positioning and  movement pattern inmy left leg as it moves, in what appears to me as a straight line. It is good to be making progress and to feel my bones and body realigning itself throught the Muscle Activation Technique.

Here is a news report introducing Muscle Activation Technique.