When your back just ‘doesn’t go’

Hey Deborah!
I am a huge fan. I met you at DTS this summer and purchased a lot of your stuff. I am anxiously waiting your analyzing extension series!

My reason for writing, I have 2 dancers (both semi-serious/semi-recreational) who both have very tight backs. One in particular cannot even touch her toes. When she tries to reach her toes or bend over in second position, she mentions that her body “doesn’t go.” She makes it clear that she feels no stretch and it does not hurt. She says her body just resitricts her from going further. I am able to push her back down significantly further (again at no pain to her), she just can’t do it on her own. How can I improve this? I would love for her to get any improvement in this area. I need lots of guidance for my poor dancer!

Thanks,   Anna

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Hi Anna,

Let me give you a few suggestions to help figure out where the tightness is coming from.  I’m pretty certain that she has significantly tight fascia because she says she doesn’t feel any discomfort when stretching – just that she can’t go any farther.  Fascia is dense connective tissue and can be very hard  to release.  I have found that gentle sustained dynamic stretching is often more effective then pushing firmly into the stretch.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.That being said – you’ve got to get a better idea where the restrictions are coming from.  Remember there are bands of fascia that run through the body.  One of them goes from underneath the foot all the way up the back of the body to the head.  Excessive tightness in any one area along that line will influence the flexibility of the whole line.

Is the tightness in the hamstrings? Calf and foot?  Middle back?  Lower back?  Or more than one area?

Let’s start exploring this in a logical way.  Have your students round down to touch their toes, or have them sit in second and round forward – whatever you want your test position to be.  Have them notice how it feels while you take a close look at the shape of the back, how rounded or flat it is and where, and what angle does the hips make with the legs.

Then grab a pinkie ball and first roll the bottom of one foot gently on it, and then the other to Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.loosen them up.  Then place the ball under the foot and lean forward enough to place your arms on the seat of a chair, or higher if that is too much pull on the hamstrings.  Stay standing on the ball, bent forward breathing easily and fully as you imagine rounding down farther.  All stretch sensations should be comfortable.  Do this for 60 seconds on one side, then repeat placing the pinkie ball under the other foot while doing a gentle stretch forward.  Go back to your initial test position and note any changes and have the students describe any kinesthetic changes they experienced.

Now let’s see if we mobilize the rotation of the back if that will make a difference to their forward flexibility.  For this experiment have them sit towards the front edge of a chair.  Start lengthening the spine up towards the ceiling which will drop the chin down and back slightly.  Keeping your pelvis facing front and keeping the spine long rotate to the right and bring both your arms to the arm of the chair or you can even hold the base of the chair.

Hold the spine fully rotated to the right for a few breaths using your arms to gently… (gently I said:) encourage more rotation.  After a few breaths, inhale and as you exhale rotate only your head back to the front – use your arms to keep the rest of the spine rotated.  Inhale as you are looking front, and then on the exhale grow taller and rotate your head back around to the right and go a little bit farther.  Do this a few more times and then return to face front before doing the same routine rotating this time to the left.  It should only take about a minute on each side.

Now round back forward in the test position.  Any changes?  Your ability to rotate easily is so important for your spine health and I’ve been pleasantly surprised that some of my dancers have improved their spinal mobility by focusing primarily on increasing their rotation.

One more suggestion to try…. A dynamic stretch for the upper back.  The clip below is from my Effective Stretching DVD.  You can round forward more than what I show in this clip and that will bring the stretch farther down the back.  The challenge is to keep gentle pressure of the back of the head into the hands while rounding forward.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you discover where the restrictions are coming from.  There is one more place to check – and that is to make sure tight hamstrings aren’t keeping your student from rounding over more easily.  This is easier to check out by simply having the student sit on the floor with their legs straight in front of them.  Are they sitting on the backside of their pelvis? (tightness in hamstrings) or are they reaching easily towards their toes but there back isn’t bending forward into the C shape?  (tightness in the back)

Good luck with your exploration and please comment below if you have suggestions or ideas for Anna… we are a community:)

Deborah