Tuck Your Chin, Please

Can you tuck your chin, please?

If you’ve EVER been on my table, you’ve heard me ask you to do this. 🏓👂👯

It’s kind of annoying, right? Not super comfortable. I mean, if tucking your chin as you lie facedown on my table was the most comfortable position for you, you’d probably already be in that position.

The question, “why are you repeatedly asking me to do this?” came up a bunch in the office this week.  Trust me, it’s not because I enjoy making you uncomfortable.😧🫦

Let’s evaluate anatomy.

The neck position of most of my clients when they initially lie facedown on the table (prone position) is either completely or partially extended. This does feel comfortable for most people, however, it’s not a position of engagement.🦩❤️🫶

Neck Extension

Neck Flexion

Yes, your entrainments are supposed to be engaging. Meaning, the entrainment involves your active participation vs just relaxing on the table while I do something to you.

Neck extension while in the prone position is an unconscious way that we disconnect from what’s going on in our body. This position disconnects brain from body. It’s a way that we allow ourselves to “not feel”.  Notice that when I ask you to tuck your chin, or move your chin towards your chest and lift your head, it feels uncomfortable.  You’re now “feeling” all the tension in your neck, shoulders, and possibly other areas of your spine and body.🧠🦐😶‍🌫️

“Feeling” the tension and moving into the depths of discomfort of it is the first step towards releasing the tension. It’s not hiding out in the outskirts anymore.  It’s right there!  “Yuck!” is what I yell when Dr. Kim asks me to do this!

An extended neck position also doesn’t allow the breath to fully move through the neck into the top of the skull, which we refer to as a respiratory wave (wave of respiration that moves from tailbone all the way up to the top of the head). A tucked chin (neck flexion) allows for the wave of breath to move all the way up to the brain. Oxygen to the brain is a good thing!!🫁😮‍💨

Respiratory Wave

I talk a lot about spinal cord tension and accessing the nervous system in a way that allows the body to release and unwind this tension. But how exactly does that body actually release this tension?  Two ways……through breath (respiratory wave) and movement (tuck your chin, please).

While on the table, I encourage you to breathe and move.  I like to remind folks that they’re not in an MRI machine.

There are times I may direct you to “breathe here, move here, hold this part of your body still for a moment.” But overall, freely breathing and moving as your body cues you to is the best way to connect with and release that tension.🔥🛎️🧨

If you’ve haven’t been on my table in awhile and would like to do a little “breathing and moving” or if you’d like to get on the schedule for any of our other awesome services CLICK HERE! Brenda and Vickie still have some availablility in their schedules for massage this week.

And yes, we’re still accepting reviews on Google. If you’ve been meaning to drop us a positive note and just haven’t gotten around to it, take a minute and leave us a good word! CLICK HERE! Thank you!!!

Have an awesome week!🎉🥳