Base-Line Healing logo. Stick figure with arms outstretched above shoulder height, legs apart. Rainbow of colours up midline. Red at pelvic floor Base then a line of orange, yellow, green blue extending to the head. Showing the body aligned and balanced, the natural way to treat fibromyalgia. Use your body better slogan.

Base-Line Theory of Health: The Five Main Muscles of Movement and Conscious Proprioception.

By L.S.Blyth

A body that is dynamically balanced and aligned is in better health.

The Five Main Muscles of Movement.

The main muscles to focus on for better physical and mental health are: 1. pelvic floor (actually several small muscles), 2. rectus abdominis, 3. gluteus maximus, 4. rectus femoris and 5. trapezius.

5 main muscles of movement

These 5 paired (left and right) 'main muscles of movement' provide the central framework for a full range of natural movement and a body that is balanced and aligned, free of tension and associated pain.

The Body's Base-Line.

Central to the main muscles of movement are our Base-Line muscles: Pelvic floor 'Base', rectus abdominis 'Line'.

Base-Line muscles

  • The position of the rest of the body is relative to Base-Line.
  • Movement should originate from, and be supported by, the Base-Line muscles.

The Other Main Muscles of Movement.

The gluteus maximus and rectus femoris of each leg work in tandem, aligning the hip and knee joints, connecting the legs to Base-Line support.

With Base-Line support in place, movement of the upper body should begin from the lower trapezius. Both trapezii should be free to fully extend, to guide the head and arms through a full range of natural movement and align the upper body.

Conscious Proprioception.

Conscious proprioception: Awareness of the sensory feedback from the body regarding its position, motion and balance.

conscious proprioception

Focusing on each of the main muscles of movement,starting from Base-Line, builds this connection between body and mind. Increased awareness of body positioning (our posture) allows improvements to be made, moving to reduce the stress and tensions (pain) our body experiences. Feeling how to heal by working through physical restrictions, regaining our natural range of movement, release the tensions and improve our sense of well-being.

Anatomy of Alignment.

The body is balanced and aligned when midline anatomy can be positioned to create the median plane.

body alignment and balance

The linea alba (between the rectus abdominis muscles) is the primary midline reference for body alignment.

The supraspinous ligament and nuchal ligament (between the trapezius muscles) are our secondary midline anatomical guides for alignment.

5 midline markers to help increase awareness of the relative positioning of our midline anatomy: Pubic symphysis, navel, xiphoid process, jugular notch, external occipital protuberance.

A Full Range of Natural Movement.

The Pain of Misalignment

I believe that many of the chronic pain symptoms and syndromes currently classified as idiopathic e.g. fibromyalgia are due to the adaptations of the body when the main muscles of movement are not adequately functioning. Stresses on other muscles results in the myalgia of imbalance.

Physical restrictions form within the connective tissue system as part of the inflammatory process (in response to trauma, infection, stress etc.) reduce range of movement resulting in stiffness and apply tensions throughout the body resulting in widespread painful symptoms and weird sensations.

Chronic pain affects our mental well-being, and was the root cause of my long-term depression and mental health issues.

Focusing on how I use my body, working with the 5 main muscles of movement has changed my life. I feel better than I ever have before. The key to better health.

L S Blyth BVM&S

Optimising The Use Of Your Muscles = Better Health.

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