A year ago my Physical Therapist taught me how to engage just one little muscle in my abs, right across my hips, like a seatbelt. Took forever to find and finally do. But since then, that's all I've done in bed: pull in ab muscles. Pull, relax, pull, relax, pull (suck in) relax

Then I had more procedures. The more work on my spine, the more abs developed, grew, returned, etc... but it's always been:
Suck in,
Suck in,
Suck in...
With more and more engaging.

Last Fall, right before Thanksgiving, I got my first shot at moving my lower back!!! I felt this tiny, tiny strand on my right side, where procedures were occurring. Just the bottom right...

I belueve it's called the Multifidus. It's very deep, runs the whole legnth of the spine, neck to tailbone...

And let me tell you... this Multifidus and I? We know each other well. Very, very, VERY well.

Because all I've been doing for 5 months, November-April, is working that a** (tuck, tuck, tuck) and paying HELL in that ribcage & neck ( #ck #ck #ck). THIS is why I have not walked!!!

That's because (and I didn't know this at the time!!!) But the Multifidus is THE MOST IMPORTANT STABILIZER IN THE SPINE.

Of course it is.

Now, you may be asking, "But Katherine! Why don't you look this up at the time? You're a dancer! Don't you know it anyway?" Well...

1) Anatomy and Physiology was my favorite science class. But they taught you the names of major muscles and where to cut them, essentially, and where not to. It's come way more in handy for nerve function, etc.
2) Dancers learn the names of muscles important to the dances they

do... but usually, we have entirely different terminology for the body. My Physical Therapists and I have had a fantastic time trading language and vocabulary for the body & its movement, etc.

3) And finally, while working these areas on myself for the first time through the 120th time, please remember that it really isn't just "tucking" or "sucking" for me.

You know it isn't.
It's war.
I convulse.
I am always watching, waiting and preparing to convulse... Curl up...

When I am in the midst of these positions, the LAST thing on my mind is, "Hey, which muscle is which??? Hmmm..." Oh no, honey.
I
Am
In
Pain.
So!...

BUT!!! I was an author, a successful Silicon Valley consultant, a champion dancer and after 10+ procedures, let me just tell you a thing or two...

I don't plan on staying this way.

So. I do as MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN every d*mn day. In 2017 that was putting on make up, 2018, lifting my heel, 2019, tucking my abs and...

Yeah. By the Fall of 2019, I not only walked for the first time, but I felt my Transverse ab AND my multifidus AND my hip flexors... all for the first time.

(Thank you in-home Physical and Occupational Therapy!!! Although no one touches you- what's all these photos about??? Weird!!! Maybe others- but they asked questions, watched, evaluated, demo'd, gave feedback.)

Do not forget your own part in this. Most people do not lie in bed trying to make contact with their legs if it's a bad day. Most just chalk it up to a bad day. You change that. You believe in me, so I try. Even now- I'm sucking in, to make you proud... to meet you one day....

To say thank you for making the gift of walking, dancing, and especially, what happened today, possible.

You see, it took 5 month to rehab this little guy because I couldn't always "reach" him. I could send a signal halfway, to my belly button, but you see that tailbone? Somedays, I turned red & sweaty trying to contract it- to feel it all all!!!

Now, I know my hip alignment has a lot to do with it. And hey!!! When I went to look up a picture for you, they call it "Dancer's Hip"! Of course!! https://www.sports-health.com/sports-injuries/hip-injuries/3-types-snapping-hip-syndrome

Well. I told you my hip started popping/cracking when my channel first began- literally the Summer of 2017!!! So I supoose this is old, old news for some of you... or, I forgot.

Some of my collegues did have double hip.... Sigh. I'm a bit overwhelmed. I need to stop.

Look. All I wanted to tell you, on Sunday, April 26th, at 11:30 am... was that... after six months of sucking in abs from the front....

And 5 months of tucking in back muscles from the back....

My ribcage suddenly moved side to side. It just happened, this morning, out of nowhere. I didn't even realize I lost it, until I got it back.

Now, every time I suck in, out of habit (I just added sucking in up towards my ribcage, not just below my belly button) my ribs just starts movin' side to side! Ow! OWWW! I suck in alllll the time!! And the ribs are going EVERYWHERE!!! AAAAHHHH!!!!!

How important ARE these stupid obliques I got back yesterday?...

And did I finally get them because I thought about getting a Hula Hoop exercise, then realized I wouldn't be able to do it, but didn't know why???

Did my brain, like, just.... get "the hint"... and start building them???

And they say "Side Planks" are how you exercise Side Obliques... but when I tried these in my Pilates tape, THIS is the one I screamed across the house on.... remember???

I told my doctor- the one doing my procedures now. I told her, "I started to do my Pilates tape, and got through all these moves I used to do... until this one move... and I just screamed... Right honey?" And man, my husband described it...

I screamed on both sides, but I told them, very clearly, one side was so bad, it stopped the whole tape, and I'd start shaking... WHOA.

Did she know?
All the way back then?
I am SO glad she did not say.

Normally, like on weight stuff, I wish I'd known earlier, but it would've been tough knowing your spine needs 10 procedures, and none are guaranteed insurance will go thru...

And I doubt anyone does know that early. You just suspect... then see how the patient responds to treatment. I responded really, really, really well....

But maybe that's because I've been trying to access my tummy and hold it in since the start of this thread, and it's totally sore. I finally keeled over!

Idk. Everyone's different. And every procedure has been so different. Like this time, I had an ablation on my Right Lumbar Spine, not steroid or lidocaihe. Well, now I have feeling of hot, cold, soft, rough, pressure with clothing vs cats vs blankets- even the computer!

Anyhow. Good things. Brain mush. You amazing. Me tired. Me thankful to you for giving me gift of possible hula hoop future. Holy cow. I just might do it.

Snap!

I just sat up.... Stretched, yawned, folded over straight-legged... and touched my toes. Whaaaaaaat is going ON!?

It's cuz I talked about it, and learned its name- huh? Jk.
This. Is. CRAZY!