Think about this image. What would happen if you took a rock in your hand and squeezed. It is something that you could do for a bit of time with comfort, but your muscles are going to start to fatigue. They may start to burn, hurt and get awfully uncomfortable. This particular action is conscious and with a great sigh, you can let that rock go. Now imagine that is your spine and the tension you have been holding has been there for years. Life stresses build in the body if you aren't ready to take care of it at that moment. Thank goodness the body is wanting to protect you and over time, you just start to live with the pain. Sometimes you don't even notice it at all.
As we store tension in the body, throughout the spine, in the muscles that support our every move, we are robbing ourselves of vital energy. Chronic muscle tension uses energy. Chronic muscle tension creates internal tissue ischemia, which can be a serious problem related to decreased blood flow to important parts of the body. The lack of oxygen to the tissue can be damaging to cellular metabolism. This kind of tension also causes a retaining of metabolites. If you can't get the bad stuff out and the good stuff back into the cells, then you will have problems. These issues ultimately lead to inflammation.
That inflammation is created because of chronic muscle tension and can lead to fibrosis, which presents as limited muscle elongation, restricted joint movement, tendon function issues and fascial shortening. All of these things will lead a body into some degree of functional disability. Inflammation is where we see the root cause of so many ailments, symptoms and health issues. Inflammation control is a key to better health.
We all hold and store tension. That is life. There is value to building tension and value in dropping all the tension out of the body. The thing we want to see is that there is a 'normal' where the tension rests in the body. Not to hot, not to cold, just right. ELAN addresses this with the high touch, low force contacts on the skin overlying the spine. Utilizing breath and focus, we can be specific and intentional in the body so that tension can start to dissipate. Creating the opportunity to find ease and safety. The alteration of the tone, posture and experience of pain can be worked with and have real lasting results with regular entrainments. Your biology reflects your biography, but you don't have to be stuck with it. Breath creates room for change and growth. Could you use a little less tension in your spine and life?