ASTON KINETICS: THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE BODY ARE ASYMMETRICAL 1 It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to my presentation of Aston Kinetics. This presentation will introduce you to basic concepts of the Aston paradigm. Judith Aston, MFA Founder and Director of Aston Kinetics Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 2 Objective: To investigate the effects of the asymmetrical body on structure and function. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 3
1. Asymmetry from true limitations are: a. Temporary b. Emotionally based c. Present throughout life 2. The right side of the body should function the same as the left side. a. True b. False 3. Most asymmetry in the body can be corrected through exercise. a. True b. False Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 4 Our work as therapists most directly changes a. Natural Asymmetry b. Compensatory Adaptations c. True Limitations 5. From the front view, a vertical line through the center of gravity of the body will: a. Divide the body into an equal right and left half b. Be closer to the left c. Demonstrate the placement of body segments to each other. 6. To minimize the negative effect of asymmetry while reaching, lifting, or pushing: a. Start from your neutral b. Use GRF to maximize your body s length c. Allow each side of the body to be unique d. All of the above Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 5 Experiential Pretests In standing, exhale first, then count the number of seconds it takes you to fully inhale. 2. In standing, where do you feel your body s weight-bearing on your feet: In your heels, the lateral aspects of the foot, or centered more on your left foot than right? Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 6
Caution Be responsible You know your body best. This presentation includes movement designs to illustrate my theories in action. These movement designs will ask you to evaluate your range of motion for your head, arm rotations, etc. Please use caution if you know you have certain limitations. Do not do them if you have any concerns or constraints. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 7 Common Beliefs Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 8 Common Belief #1 Asymmetrical Not balanced or regularly arranged around a central point. Symmetrical A correspondence in size, shape and relative positions of parts on opposite sides of a dividing line or median plane or about a central axis. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 9
Common Belief #2 When the right and left sides of the body are symmetrical, each side will rotate around that central axis. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 10 Common Belief #3 Good posture is when the body segments are aligned with the vertical plumb line bisects the lateral malleolus. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 11 Some of my observations and the questions that followed: I had never seen a body that was truly symmetrical. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 12
What people think of as good posture seems to encourage holding patterns using effort to sustain the position Illustration copyright 1998 Aston Postural Assessment Workbook 13 When the body is centered in line with the lateral malleolus, this centers the body over the posterior half of the foot. The foot design is asymmetrical We do have a forefoot but we do not have an aft foot. Shouldn't the weight of the body be centered over the whole foot? Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 14 I also wondered why I saw more people centered closer to their left foot rather than in the middle onto both feet. 15 Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics
A light bulb moment Aha!!! The body appears more symmetrical through the superficial layers from skin, to muscles, to the skeleton, generally with the same number of muscles and bones on the right side as the left side. Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustrations used by permission. 16 It is the deeper structures with all the systems which are most asymmetrical in design and function. Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustrations used by permission. 17 Ligaments Arteries Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustrations used by permission. 18
Blood Vessels Nervous System Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustrations used by permission. 19 Lungs Heart Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustrations used by permission. 20 Organs Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustration used by permission. 21
Chest and Abdomen Esophagus Trachea Spinal Cord Spinal Column Kidney Ascending Colon Rectum Larynx Lung Sternum Heart Diaphragm Liver Gallbladder Stomach Transverse Colon Coils of Small Intestine 22 I wondered what would we look like, if we had a symmetrical number of organs, I.e. one liver on the right and one liver on the left side, etc.? Illustrations all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 23 I formulated the concept of three types of asymmetry: I. Natural Asymmetry II. True Limitations III. Compensatory Adaptations Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 24
I. Natural Asymmetry The givens at birth from the influences of developing through and around the organs of different shape, weight, size, placement, number and function. As well as our genetics and how we develop inutero. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 25 True Limitations Those permanent changes from injury i.e. losing a lung from a car accident, surgery, or birth anomalies, such as being born without a hand. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 26 III. Compensatory Adaptations Include compensations from the natural, and true limitations as well as patterns of body use. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 27
Activities emphasize one side i.e. fencing, golf, tennis and personal habits of usage. Copyright 2006-2010 Institute for Plastination. All rights reserved. Illustration used by permission. 28 Consequences of Asymmetry People often have significant asymmetrical body patterns in their body usage which create distinct wear patterns. Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 29 Two Right Sides Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 30
Two Left Sides Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 31 What about the asymmetry between the front and the back of the body? Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 32 Two Backs Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 33
Two Fronts Illustration all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 34 Illustrations all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 35 Example of client presenting Lumbar compression and pain Photograph all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 36
ASTON CONCEPT OF STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL HOLDING PATTERNS Functional Holding Patterns Can occur from any repetitive action. Can be released more easily the sooner it is neutralized after the activity. Structural Holding Patterns Functional over a log period of time chronic patterns become adhered and dehydrated or from an incident as in an accident. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 37 What skills do therapists, trainers and teachers need to match or change asymmetry? I believe every teacher must have visual and palpation skills to evaluate their client s patterns and limitations. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 38 Three Aston Assessment Skills 1. Visual: Seeing body patterns in three dimensions. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 39
A B The three-dimensional body requires visual assessment in all three planes. Shear created by Shifts in the horizontal planes. Body segments shifted to the right or left Illustrations copyright 1998 Aston Postural Assessment Workbook 40 C D Shifts in the horizontal plane- creating shear Body segments shifted forward or back Illustrations copyright 1998 Aston Postural Assessment Workbook 41 A B Aston Notation System Examples: Tilts - high and Low creating Compressive and tensile forces. Illustrations copyright 1998 Aston Postural Assessment Workbook 42
2. PALPATION SKILLS The ability to palpate to read the tonicity of the body s tissues. Assessing the hypertone/hypotone pattern of the body s tissues. Assessing the hyper/hypo mobility of the joints. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 43 Skilled in Techniques: Acquiring techniques for facilitating change and learning to use asymmetry through: Movement designs: for neutralizing unnecessary stress patterns. Bodywork skills for releasing holding patterns Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 44 c. Ability to modify and apply changes to client s daily activities (yoga, pilates, fitness, etc.) d. Ability to modify environmental factors of product design. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 45
Matching What Is: Standing Assessment A. Both Feet Photograph all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 46 B. To the Left Photograph all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 47 C. Both Feet Photograph all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 48
D. To the Right Photograph all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 49 E. Both Feet Photograph all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 50 Consider this: What if your asymmetry were only a compensatory pattern, a functional holding that could be easily changed? Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 51
Movement Designs To Identify, Change And Use Your Asymmetry Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 52 Gravity and Ground Reaction Gravity: is a natural phenomenon by which physical bodies attract with a force proportional to their mass. Gravitation is most familiar as the agent that gives weight to objects with mass and causes them to fall to the ground when dropped. Ground Reaction Force: In physics and in particular in biomechanics the ground reaction force (GRF) is the force exerted by the ground on a body in contact with it.1.) For example, a person standing on the ground exerts a contact force on it (equal to the person's weight) and at the same time an equal and opposite ground reaction force is exerted by the ground on the person. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 53 Gravity and Ground Reaction Forces Gravity Ground Reaction Force Illustrations from Aston Moving Beyond Posture Copyright 2007 54
Using Gravity and Ground Reaction Forces Gravity Phase Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics. 55 Ground Reaction Phase Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 56 Aston Standing Arcing Gravity phase 57
Aston Standing Arcing Ground reaction phase 58 Aston Standing Arcing Neutral Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 59 Aston Standing Arcing With Dowel Gravity phase 60
Aston Standing Arcing With Dowel Ground reaction phase. 61 Aston Standing Arcing With Dowel Neutral 62 Balance Between Right/Left Foot. Starting from center 63
Center over your left Push off left foot 64 Pass through the middle. 65 Center over your right Push off your right foot 66
Settle onto your neutral 67 The Goldilocks in Sitting Too far back #1 68 Too Far Back Rotate your head to each side 69
Too Far Back 70 Too Far Forward Feel the forced extension 71 Too Far Forward Rotate your head right and left 72
Too Far Forward 73 Just Right Sitting on your pelvis 74 Just Right Rotate your head right and left 75
Just Right 76 Ergonomic Wedges Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 77 Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 78
Application for Lifting Weight Starting from flexion Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 79 Increasing your strength and ROM for Lifting Weight Starting from Neutral Photographs all rights reserved Aston Kinetics 80 Summary Asymmetry is exaggerated when one aspect of the body is controlling instead of the whole body participating- (i.e.: when the body is weighted into the back flexion is created) You will be able to reinforce more optimal movement patterns when your body starts the motion from neutral. Use GRF first when setting up for any lifting, reaching. pushing, pulling action to optimize your movement. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 81
Take your skills to the next level with Aston Kinetics Certifications: Aston Movement Training Aston Bodywork Training Aston Fitness Aston for Pilates Aston for Yoga Aston-Patterning All courses approved through NCBTMB ERGONOMC PRODUCTS Seat Wedges Back Wedges Exercise Mats Adjustment Pillows and more 82 Please visit our website at www.astonkinetics.com, email us at office@astonkinetics.com or call us at 775.831.8228 to find more about how you can take your skills to the next level! 83 Aston always says, to be continued. Aston Kinetics www.astonkinetics.com 84
Thank you for your interest. Judith Aston-Linderoth 85 Other Webinars Available on Demand Unraveling the Mystery of Low Back Pain Unraveling the Mystery of Cervical Pain Unraveling the Mystery of Shoulder Pain Unraveling the Mystery of Knee Pain Unraveling the Mystery of Ankle Pain Unraveling the Mystery of Hip & Thigh Pain Approaches to Upper Body Disorders Anatomy Trains Massage in Cancer Care Cardiovascular Conditions & Massage All Webinars Available at www.benbenjamin.com SPECIAL OFFER JOIN the Benjamin Institute E-Mailing List & Receive a FREE Ebook on the Low Back Go to: www.benbenjamin.com And click Join Our Mailing List
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