Torticollis

[Wyohomeboy]

I have been using Kettlebells for about six months, including get-ups, swings, snatches, and presses. I have suffered from Torticollis from previous hockey, lacrosse, and water skiing injuries(I am 47 yrs old now). I still hike with a backpack fairly extensively in the summer and fall, and in am fair to good condition for my age. About every two years I roll over in my sleep and sleep on my stomach for an hour or two, which severely aggravates my Torticollis - this recently happened again, which is why I am posting this message. Occassionally heavy sessions of presses also aggravates my condition.

Does anyone have similar issues?

Can anyone suggest some exercises to help relieve this?

My best results have come from visiting a chiropractor and avoiding exercise for a couple of weeks, but I would really like to end the suffering once and for all. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[darryllardizabal]

Avoid movements that cause pain because you don't want to create a learned response with pain. Also, it helps to report what injuries you had. Stretching may help, but mobility generally helps more.

For some reason you have an altered body map causing your Torticollus, causing involuntary muscle contractions of your SCM. This could be for any number of reasons.

Z-Health R and I-Phase Pelvis work should relieve it. If not see a Z-Health practitioner. If you want results right away, see one beforehand. It'll narrow what you need to focus on to get the best bang for the buck. You can either buy the dvds, or pay for one session with any level Z Practitioner and be relieved on the spot.

In-Person or Online is best bet. I do them, so does mc, and Zachariah.

[Randy Hauer]

Originally Posted by darryllardizabal

For some reason you have an altered body map causing your Torticollus, causing involuntary muscle contractions of your SCM. This could be for any number of reasons.

You mean like the multiple injuries cited?
There is no such thing as a "body map"...like "ego" and "identity" body map is a metaphor. Cut open someone - no map...just blood, muscles, bone and goo.
The map is not the territory... An MD (neurologist) consult would be a more appropriate suggestion perhaps?

[ZachariahSalazarRKC]

Originally Posted by Randy Hauer RKC

You mean like the multiple injuries cited?
There is no such thing as a "body map"...like "ego" and "identity" body map is a metaphor. Cut open someone - no map...just blood, muscles, bone and goo.
The map is not the territory... An MD (neurologist) consult would be a more appropriate suggestion perhaps?

Yes you can see a map. Look up sensory and motor humonculi as a start. Again Randy you should stop commenting on things you do not understand and have little authority on. Have you read the works in neuroplasticity and virtual maps? Maybe you should at least study the material to make a proportionate critique. They are real, they are not metaphor. They are testable and repeatable in testing.

The issues do not have to be the cause of the issue. people are not machines and pure mechanical thinking will only lead to progress that does not take advantage of current neuroscience research. the human brain is a predictive representation organ. It is not a master switch box controlling the body like a marionette on cables. As an optimized survival animal the human brain and body has multiple redundant systems. Some are mechnical linkages and some are not. For example pain occurs only in the brain not in the body. It occurs in the insula and right anterior cingulate cortex. As such, pain is currently being moved from a sensation to an emotional in terms of priority of cortical output.

Please try and keep up before you go around dismissing what you do not understand especially when that attitude can get in the way of someone's progress. Like Z Health, you haven't been to a cert or met with me as a rep. Its like judging or trying to learn weightlifting or kettlebell lifting from a book and DVD. A real teacher is better........

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[ZachariahSalazarRKC]

Wyohomeboy,

there are additional issues such as occular and vestibular reflex issues that can also maintain torticollis beyound simple exercise or postural irritations. This is purely an after the fact problem, there is no congenital iusses? Scoliosis? Ear probs as a kid (tubes etc)? zzzzzzzz

[Randy Hauer]

Originally Posted by ZachariahSalazarRKC

Yes you can see a map. Look up sensory and motor humonculi as a start.

So if a Doc cuts open Zach's head he will find this?



That would be awesome.
Yes Zach, I've read much of the POPULAR literature that has been cited. And some of the borderline scholarly stuff(Daniel Dennett, Douglas Hofstadter and some related AI work) I respectfully disagree...body maps (and the homonculus too) are re-presentations, metaphors. They are conceptual, explanatory models... which like mathematics and monkey bars allow you to get from one point to another...but they aren't what is really going on.

I'm sorry but "You have a body map issue" is a pop-diagnosis. Maybe since you are the consummate pro delivering the spanking here, you can clearly state what the Scope of Practice a Z graduate has or how reading "The Body Has a Mind of It's Own" (or even Z certs) prepares one to render a professional opinion on medical conditions?

"As an optimized survival animal the human brain and body has multiple redundant systems," misstates evolutionary reality which always results in a "contingent adequacy" and never optimal anything...unless you want to say optimal adequacy.

So I take it you don't think an MD should be consulted first? Or do you think MDs should be referring people to Z grads for consults?

P.S. My sensorimotor homunculus is thinking of a place on his body map where you can plant a big, wet one. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

[Wyohomeboy]

My family has no history of Scoliosis or back/ neck problems, I am fairly certain that separated shoulders, broken collar bone, and a concussion or two(the neck takes a beating when one gets hit hard enough to get a concussion - a fact that is rarely mentioned) while playing hockey have contributed to my condition. I also had a neck injury while water skiing, the doctor took many x-rays, and prescribed a collar for two weeks as a remedy. My chiropractor also indicated that severe chills will sometimes cause this, which I have also suffered from several times over the years.

I will look into the Z-Health program, as I am unfamiliar with it (All I have currently is "Enter The Kettlebell")

[ZachariahSalazarRKC]

Ahhhh, Randy. Yer so fun to pick on. And how did you find my post workout pic? zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[darryllardizabal]

Honestly you can say what you want to say about it, but it really depends on what your body wants to believe and by saying that this leads to that, is ignoring neurophysiology outright in that your body doesn't do what you think it'll do, or else every theory or law would apply to everyone.

Basically what I'm saying is we can work on it and find that it may not be the case at all or it can be. The point is Z-Health simply targets the thing that is one of the multiple reasons why you can be that way and work on that to make you better.

I'm basically repeating what Zachariah said, but again who knows? You'll talk to chiropractors and they'll give you one reason, you can talk to a massage therapist and they'll give you another, you can talk to multiple MD's and they'll each probably give you a different diagnosis based on experience and knowledge - point is they may be all right or they may be all wrong and we need a way to identify what it is that may be a cause (ala Z-Health)