Lower Extremity Workshops with Melanie Byford-Young
May 30, 2009 by Jean Leavenworth
Two weeks ago, several of us were lucky enough to take a three day STOTT PILATES® intensive workshop with Melanie Byford-Young on the Hip, Knee, Ankle, Foot and the mechanisms of gait.
For those of us who took all three days of workshops it was an intense, but exhilarating experience! A lot of information was received, but we were also given plenty of time to experiment with each other and make actual change happen! From a personal perspective, I was able to change my wobbly gait pattern (due to a rigid right midfoot issue) and start getting my center of gravity over that foot in a much better way. I still have a lot of homework to do, but the changes to my whole alignment from ankle to spine have been truly amazing!
It has also been very interesting to me to see how many clients have come in over the last two weeks with ankle, knee or hip issues! How exciting to have some really cool exercises to try on them and to see some of the same changes happen to them as I and many others experienced over the weekend! Not all of these changes happen in one session, but I feel very empowered having more tools to address these issues with clients.
I am looking forward to hearing how others in the workshops have been using the information they received. What kinds of success stories can you share with us? Questions? Bring em on!
I always like to tuck my sacrum under and with tight hip joint (femoral head forward) that is why restrict my hip flexion and gripping hip always. After attending the workshop and with few privates sessions with Melanie, Leslie, and Jean. It completely changes my hip mobility and I have a better neutral position. Of course still got lot of works need to be done on my hips. Now, I know how to engage glu medius, glu max and deep psoas in a better way for my hip movement. Surprisingly,it also helps me in one of the STOTT Pilates repertoire exercise “ROLL UP”.
The workshop is an eye opener for me to look at how people foot and toes doing would or may affect their ankles, knees, hips, pelvis & spine alignement. It helps me to see and focus on my clients feet and toes when they are doing exercise.
I love Melanie said that every single Pilates exercise is a feet exercise beside abs.
The three days workshop was great & fantastic. Looking forward if there is any upper extremity workshop.
Thanks Jeff!
I’m so glad your hip has been feeling better! It was great meeting you and getting to work with you! Best of luck in Istanbul!
I have 3 questions:
1. When doing the unloaded popliteus exercise (seated on reformer, no springs, foot on rotator disc) how do you teach someone to stop mega death gripping in his hamstrings when none of the usual cues work? What should the leg that isn’t working be doing? I personally find I have to let it “go for the ride”, where it moves a little bit but it’s really passive.
2. Any suggestions for a client with weak adductors that when he tries to do side leg lift series (bottom leg lifting to top leg) he ER at the hip and flexes at the knee on the leg that’s trying to adduct? (Same client as above) I put him against the wall and assisted him by lifting his legs some of the way, but that’s a lot of work for me. What he feels most in sleeper is the bottom leg that’s adducting, and a little bit of glutes when I ask him. I have some ideas but want to get some others, see if we’re thinking on the same wave length! Oh, his new PT diagnosed him with a tibial stress fracture in the right (?) leg. He’s a tri-athlete also.
3. I feel I have good ankle DF, (possible too much) but tight in plantar flexion and my calves and mid feet always feel really tight and stiff, even though eccentrically I can keep on DF (think leg press on box on the chair) so it seems Iike maybe posterior calf is not the culprit. Does this sound suspect of maybe tight/limited anterior calf muscles trying to work eccentrically? i.e.: half roll back I can not keep my feet on the ground)
Thanks!
Susan S.
Hi, Congratulations to the site owner for this marvelous work you’ve done. It has lots of useful and interesting data.
1. When doing the unloaded popliteus exercise (seated on reformer, no springs, foot on rotator disc) how do you teach someone to stop mega death gripping in his hamstrings when none of the usual cues work? What should the leg that isn’t working be doing? I personally find I have to let it “go for the ride”, where it moves a little bit but it’s really passive.
ANSWER FROM MELANIE:
The non-working leg can be rested off to the side or held up depending on your client and how demanding you want to be.
For your client who is not responding to the normal cues (send your knee cap over the midfoot, etc) I would first look at the mobility of the midfoot; if they are held in supination or gripping with the foot, then the hamstrings will have to work harder to try to overcome the resistance. If there is a midfoot issue, try putting to forefoot on a toning ball or wedge (foot in dorsiflexion) to see if that will help. If the midfoot is not an issue, then sit in front of your client and put a flexband behind their knee; pull the flexband to give the sense of initiating the flexion deep in the knee instead of with over dominance of the hamstrings.
Let us know if this helps!
2. Any suggestions for a client with weak adductors that when he tries to do side leg lift series (bottom leg lifting to top leg) he ER at the hip and flexes at the knee on the leg that’s trying to adduct? (Same client as above) I put him against the wall and assisted him by lifting his legs some of the way, but that’s a lot of work for me. What he feels most in sleeper is the bottom leg that’s adducting, and a little bit of glutes when I ask him. I have some ideas but want to get some others, see if we’re thinking on the same wave length! Oh, his new PT diagnosed him with a tibial stress fracture in the right (?) leg. He’s a tri-athlete also.
ANSWER FROM MELANIE:
It seems that your client is trying to substitute hamstrings for adductors! There are many ways to isolate the adductors, but try the following:
1. Hip lift and bridge with a mini stability ball between his knees; have your client lift up, then squeeze the ball at varying intensities and for various lengths of time. He will be using hamstrings, glutes and adductors.
2. For developing control in side lying with his legs straight, try resting his lower calf on a partially deflated ball; he will then just try to lift a little and release right back down into the ball. It should help him be supported and work into into the new range that he does not have strength to find himself. Another idea is to put the fitness circle between his ankles while in side lying and have him squeeze with both legs. In this scenario, he will be be using both adductors.
3.Try having him sit on a stability ball like he is riding a horse and have him squeeze the ball as he lifts up.
4. Bend and stretch on the reformer with sponges between his legs.
3. I feel I have good ankle DF, (possible too much) but tight in plantar flexion and my calves and mid feet always feel really tight and stiff, even though eccentrically I can keep on DF (think leg press on box on the chair) so it seems Iike maybe posterior calf is not the culprit. Does this sound suspect of maybe tight/limited anterior calf muscles trying to work eccentrically? i.e.: half roll back I can not keep my feet on the ground)
ANSWER FROM MELANIE:
My first question is what is your standing posture, and do you grip with your toes when you are standing? I suspect that you may have relative weakness of the deep posterior calf muscles given that you have excessive dorsiflexion. I would try doing calf raises with the knees bent; do this exercise on the reformer supine and side lying, and the chair seated and standing. Make sure that you really roll through every millimeter of your foot as you raise and lower. Start out slowly with as many reps as you can tolerate, and build from there. As your awareness and control build, add plyometrics in the same positions. If you have a wobble cushion, spending some time standing on the cushion and balancing as you do arm movements, squats etc. Try a daily regimen of these exercises for three weeks and let us know how you progress.
Good luck!!!
MELANIE