Beware the Gripping!

At the annual conference of the California Biofeedback Society last week, a new device was described for the treatment of jaw pain. The SleepGuard biofeedback headband can be worn by the user and when the band senses that the jaw is clenched, an alarm will sound to deter the patient from the clenching. It makes sense that a patient can re-train the body to avoid muscle tension with such a device.

So what can we do about the butt grippers? Although some clever and potentially not-so-comfortable ideas come to mind in relation to biofeedback sensors and the pelvis during sleep, how do we educate our patients who tend to clench at night to let go and avoid that morning pain? If you are unfamiliar with the concept of "butt gripping," please check out the work of Diane Lee, from whom I first heard the term. In an article on her website, Diane discusses the concept of gripping with the chest, back, or butt. Chances are, you can think of a patient who fits one of the categories. (Not that any of us have movement dysfunction, but you might have "a friend" who could use some guidance in re-training one of the gripping patterns.)

Patients who tend to clench any muscle all night will be creating compression in nearby joints, and the muscles will not be getting proper recovery and rest time during sleep. These patients will often wake with increased pain in the area of tension or muscle guarding. The first step in treating a condition of gripping is awareness: if you have no idea that you are creating tension in a muscle, the re-training of the muscle won't happen. Help your patients understand that a tendency to tighten a muscle group may be a habit brought up by the body guarding a region for various purposes. Consider the patient who has low back pain- tightening or splinting the area with muscle contractions may be a useful strategy early in the injury. Once a patient is aware of the tension that may aggravate a painful area or promote a dysfunctional movement pattern, creating new strategies is critical. Your patients may require soft tissue or joint mobilization, muscle balancing techniques, movement re-training (to include functional patterns or tasks), and general awareness or relaxation techniques.

Let's think of the patient who goes to bed and maintains tension in the gluteals, pelvic floor, or pelvic area. What can she do at bedtime? There may be a few stretches that loosen the muscles, breathing and awareness exercises, general relaxation or meditation activities, or some contract/relax to improve the muscle state. She might also have a self-massage or trigger point technique, complete a self-massage or partner-assisted massage, take a warm bath, or apply some heat or cold to the area of tension. Once in bed, what position does your patient adopt for sleep? Is she in supine with a posterior pelvic tilt, in sidelying with the thighs pressed tightly together? You can help the patient recognize the postures, positions, and patterns of holding that may be worsening the condition. Many patients find that completing some simple pelvic tilts or rocking prior to falling asleep can decrease guarding.

As an observational skill, recognizing patterns of gripping can aid in development of a rehabilitation program that looks for static or dynamic postures that need re-training. Butt gripping is one such pattern that will increase tension and muscle dysfunction in the pelvic floor and often in the hips and low back. There are many courses offered by the Pelvic Rehab Institute that incorporate these concepts into rehabilitation principles. If you are unable to attend a live course, or are interested in getting started in pelvic rehabilitation, check out the on-line MedBridge course created by the Institute co-founder, Kathe Wallace. The course is full of examination and intervention techniques that will benefit patients who have pelvic dysfunction.