Massage Therapy by Jack Stella

04/16/2026

HEALING TIMES

04/16/2026

FOR FELLOW ANATOMY GEEKS.
WOW
Electron microscope image of a muscle tissue.

04/15/2026

Gorgeous sunset stroll.

Vladimir Janda revisited.

LOWER CROSSED SYNDROME – THE BIOMECHANICS OF MUSCLE IMBALANCE

Lower Crossed Syndrome is a classic example of how muscle imbalance alters posture, movement, and load distribution across the body. It is characterized by a predictable pattern: tight hip flexors and lumbar extensors crossing with weak abdominals and gluteal muscles, creating a dysfunctional force system around the pelvis.
At the core of this imbalance lies the pelvis. Tight hip flexors—especially the iliopsoas—pull the pelvis into anterior tilt, while overactive lumbar extensors exaggerate the lumbar lordosis. This creates an increased extension moment in the lower spine, shifting the center of mass forward and increasing compressive stress on posterior spinal elements.
On the opposite side of the force couple, the abdominal muscles become lengthened and weak, reducing their ability to stabilize the pelvis and control anterior tilt. Similarly, the gluteal muscles lose their activation efficiency, compromising hip extension and reducing posterior chain contribution during movement.
This crossed pattern creates a cycle where dominant muscles continue to shorten and overwork, while inhibited muscles become progressively weaker. The result is not just a static posture issue, but a dynamic dysfunction affecting gait, lifting mechanics, and overall movement efficiency.
Biomechanically, this imbalance alters moment arms and joint loading. The forward pelvic tilt increases shear forces on the lumbar spine and reduces the mechanical advantage of the glutes. As a result, other muscles like the hamstrings or erector spinae compensate, often leading to overuse and fatigue.
Over time, this can contribute to lower back pain, hip dysfunction, and reduced performance. The body adapts to this faulty alignment, reinforcing inefficient movement patterns and increasing injury risk.
Lower Crossed Syndrome highlights the importance of force balance in the body. It is not just about tight or weak muscles individually, but about how these muscles interact to control pelvic position, spinal alignment, and movement. Restoring this balance is key to optimizing biomechanics and preventing long-term dysfunction.

04/14/2026

04/14/2026

We have a choice. Move often or stagnate into aging.
Your spine feels more pressure sitting than standing… and most people have no idea.
It’s not just what you do it’s how long you stay in that position that decides your spine health.
📊 Here’s what actually happens inside your spine:
🟢 Lying down (~25% pressure) → Discs decompress → recovery mode ON
🟡 Standing (~100% pressure) → Natural load → balanced + stable
🟠 Sitting (~140% pressure) → Disc pressure increases → stiffness begins
🔴 Slouched sitting (~185% pressure) → Maximum stress → disc compression + pain risk
⚠️ Now think about this: If you sit 6–10 hours daily… your spine is under constant high pressure for most of your day. That’s why: • Back pain keeps coming back • Neck stiffness increases • Disc issues develop over time. The real problem isn’t sitting… it’s sitting for too long without movement. What your spine actually needs:
• Move every 30–45 minutes
• Maintain neutral posture
• Avoid slouching • Use proper sitting support
• Stay active throughout the day
Key takeaway: Your spine is built for movement not long hours of stillness.

04/14/2026

We have a choice. Move often or stagnate into aging.

Your spine feels more pressure sitting than standing… and most people have no idea.

It’s not just what you do it’s how long you stay in that position that decides your spine health.
📊 Here’s what actually happens inside your spine:
🟢 Lying down (~25% pressure) → Discs decompress → recovery mode ON
🟡 Standing (~100% pressure) → Natural load → balanced + stable
🟠 Sitting (~140% pressure) → Disc pressure increases → stiffness begins
🔴 Slouched sitting (~185% pressure) → Maximum stress → disc compression + pain risk
⚠️ Now think about this: If you sit 6–10 hours daily… your spine is under constant high pressure for most of your day. That’s why: • Back pain keeps coming back • Neck stiffness increases • Disc issues develop over time. The real problem isn’t sitting… it’s sitting for too long without movement. What your spine actually needs:
• Move every 30–45 minutes
• Maintain neutral posture
• Avoid slouching • Use proper sitting support
• Stay active throughout the day
Key takeaway: Your spine is built for movement not long hours of stillness.

04/13/2026

Windy day on Momma Natures Trails.

Before the chow hall opens, some interesting information on the
Big Three of Mobility and Balance.

Mobility: The Big 3 That Control Human Movement

When it comes to efficient human movement, three regions dominate the conversation: the ankle, the hip, and the thoracic spine. These are not just isolated joints but key segments in a kinetic chain that must work in harmony to produce smooth, ուժ efficient, and injury-free motion. Any restriction in one of these areas forces compensation elsewhere, often leading to pain and dysfunction.

The ankle acts as the foundation. Adequate dorsiflexion is critical during walking, running, and squatting. When the ankle lacks mobility, the body compensates by altering movement patterns, often increasing stress at the knee or forcing excessive forward trunk lean.

These shifts load away from optimal pathways and can disrupt balance and force absorption. The ankle’s role is not just mobility but controlled mobility, allowing the body to adapt to ground forces while maintaining alignment.

The hip serves as the powerhouse of movement, designed for both mobility and stability. As a ball-and-socket joint, it allows multiplanar motion while generating and transferring large forces. When hip mobility is limited, particularly in extension or rotation, the lumbar spine often compensates, leading to excessive spinal loading.

Conversely, poor hip stability can result in inefficient force transfer and reduced performance. The hip essentially dictates how force is produced and distributed through the lower body.

The thoracic spine provides the rotational and extension capacity needed for upper body movement and postural control. Unlike the lumbar spine, which prioritizes stability, the thoracic region is built for mobility. It allows rotation, extension, and rib cage expansion, all of which are essential for breathing and dynamic movement.

When thoracic mobility is restricted, the body compensates through the cervical or lumbar regions, increasing strain and reducing overall movement efficiency.

Biomechanically, these three regions follow a simple but powerful principle: mobility where mobility is needed, stability where stability is required. The ankle and thoracic spine need to move freely, while the hip must balance both mobility and control. When this balance is maintained, movement becomes efficient, energy expenditure is reduced, and injury risk decreases.

In real-world movement, whether it’s walking, lifting, or athletic performance, these three segments coordinate continuously. The ankle adapts to the ground, the hip generates force, and the thoracic spine allows rotational flow and postural alignment. Disruption in any one of these areas creates a ripple effect throughout the body.

👉 Master the mobility of the ankle, hip, and thoracic spine, and you unlock the foundation of all human movement.

04/12/2026

Some very interesting Q.L knowledge from a friend. Thanks Carl. A lot to unpack here,

Most patients suffering from chronic lower back pain are misdiagnosed with simple "tightness." In reality, you are likely witnessing a neurological lock of the Quadratus Lumborum.

When the brain senses a lack of lateral stability, it "braces" the QL to protect the spine, mimicking the symptoms of a herniated disc. If you attempt to stretch this out, you are ignoring the Clinical Diagnosis; you are stretching a muscle that is already overextended and screaming for stability.

This is why standard Physical Therapy often fails—you cannot stretch a stabilization deficit. To satisfy a proper Rehabilitation Protocol, we must move from passive stretching to active loading. Without this shift, you risk long-term structural degradation that could lead to Orthopedic Surgery.

We are looking at the biomechanical "why" behind the pain. This isn't just a workout; it's a preventative measure against a lifetime of Workers Compensation claims and medical dependency.

04/11/2026

Some anatomy fun.
Which organ can you see in each photo?

04/11/2026

I'm working with clients referred from their DPT's with sciatica-like symptoms. Some useful slides from my files.

04/10/2026

A brisk stroll in Momma Natures woods after clients, Came across this beautiful collection of cuties.

For a colleague.

Here you go my friend. From my teaching and client files. I would also consider the role of the Hips/Femur in this condition.

Chondromalacia Patella (Patellofemoral Syndrome)

Chondromalacia patella facts

• Chondromalacia patella is the most common cause of chronic knee pain.
• Chondromalacia patella has also been called patellofemoral syndrome.
• The pain of chondromalacia patella is aggravated by activity or prolonged sitting with bent knees.
• Abnormal "tracking" allows the kneecap (patella) to grate over the lower end of the thighbone (femur), causing chronic inflammation and pain.
• Treatment involves improving the alignment of the patella during contraction of the thigh muscle.

What is the chondromalacia patella?
Chondromalacia patella is abnormal softening of the cartilage of the underside the kneecap (patella). It is a cause of pain in the front of the knee (anterior knee pain). Chondromalacia patella is one of the most common causes of chronic knee pain. Chondromalacia patella results from degeneration of cartilage due to poor alignment of the kneecap (patella) as it slides over the lower end of the thighbone (femur). This process is sometimes referred to as patellofemoral syndrome.

What causes chondromalacia patella?
The patella (kneecap) is normally pulled over the end of the femur in a straight line by the quadriceps (thigh) muscle. Patients with chondromalacia patella frequently have abnormal patellar "tracking" toward the lateral (outer) side of the femur. This slightly off-kilter pathway allows the undersurface of the patella to grate along the femur, causing chronic inflammation and pain. Certain individuals are predisposed to develop chondromalacia patella: females, knock-kneed or flat-footed runners, or those with an unusually shaped patella undersurface.

What are the symptoms and signs of chondromalacia patella?
The symptoms of chondromalacia patella are generally a vague discomfort of the inner front of the knee, aggravated by activity (running, jumping, climbing or descending stairs) or by prolonged sitting with knees in a moderately bent position (the so called "theater sign" of pain upon arising from a desk or theater seat).

Some patients may also have a vague sense of "tightness" or "fullness" in the knee area. Occasionally, if chronic symptoms are ignored, the associated loss of quadriceps (thigh) muscle strength may cause the leg to "give out." Besides an obvious reduction in quadriceps muscle mass, mild swelling of the knee area may occur.
How is chondromalacia patella diagnosed?

Chondromalacia patella is suspected in a person with anterior knee pain, especially in teenage females or young adults. With manual compression of the kneecap while the quadriceps muscle is tightened, there can be pain. This is referred to as the positive "shrug" sign. Generally, there is no associated swelling (knee joint effusion).

X-rays or MRIs may be done to confirm the inflammation on the posterior part of the patella.

04/09/2026

Wrapped up a rewarding day with clients decompressing with Momma Nature. Before the Chow Hall opens, pasta, veggies and chicken, some foot information.

Starting to see more clients coming in getting back to distance running. Full assessments, both visual and mechanical are my first step towards = Happy Feet = Happy Clients

PALNTAR FASCIA

The plantar fascia or plantar aponeurosis (green fibers) is a tough, dense tissue on the sole of the foot that is often blamed for heel and foot pain. Many consider “plantar fasciitis” a product of mechanical stress or over-stretching of the tissue.

However, studies have shown the tissue has very little ability to stretch, less than 1% of its resting length. This means that plantar fascia disruption is likely micro-tearing and changes in the collagen matrix.

More interesting recent findings show the plantar aponeurosis and skin has amongst the highest density of mechanoreceptors (meissners, ruffini, Pacinian) in the body. This high receptor field signals nearby tissues, especially the Flexor Digitorum Brevis (pink) to contract when the plantar aponeurosis is stressed. The PF stores mechanical energy and returns it during the gait cycle when healthy.

The FDB runs virtually parallel with the PF and is supposed to contract to off-load stress from the fascia when all is working properly during function (see Abreu, 2003 Skeletal Rad). Breakdown of this mechanism will lead to plantar fascia dysfunction and eventual disruption.

Unfortunately, many people present with weak flexor digitorum brevis and over-stressed and degenerative plantar aponeurosis (lifetime of shoes and flat surfaces). Strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot and go barefoot as much as possible to keep the receptor loop efficient.