3 Things You Always Wondered About Platysma (but were afraid to ask)
The platysma is a superficial sheet-like muscle that drapes over the upper parts of the deltoid and pectoralis major, overlapping them and then ultimately covering most of the front of the neck. 1. What ends up when platysma goes into spasm? You end up involuntarily...
read moreRescuing Your Rhomboids: Unsung Heroes of the Upper Back
We all know that guy who discretely carries the team with his quiet but consistent performance every week but doesn’t ask for much acknowledgement in return. Many people associate a higher profile muscle like the trapezius with the upper back and shoulders, but the...
read moreName that Muscle [CONTEST!]
The superior part of this muscle is covered by sternocleidomastoid and its inferior part is covered by the trapezius. When the spine is fixed, this muscle elevates the scapula and rotates its inferior angle medially. This muscle's belly is about two fingers wide with...
read more4 Benefits of Well-Balanced Chest Muscles
First, let’s dash some hopes by clarifying that this isn’t a list about secondary sex characteristics or mate selection—it’s about functional anatomy. The reason you should keep reading is because you, like most people, probably have tight chest muscles from doing...
read moreAchy Upper Back? Help is on the Way
After a long day at work, do you want a shoulder rub? a back massage? Many of us who spend hours seated at a desk often fall into a slouched posture. This position rounds our shoulders, hunches our upper backs, and strains the necks forward. Overtime, holding our...
read more7 Fun Facts about Feet
1. Babies are born with a pad of fat where an arch would normally be. Their arches don't usually develop until they are 2 ½ years old. 2. Polydactylism is the technical term for extra toes and fingers. The condition is reported in about 1-2 of every 1,000 children,...
read more3 Tips for Preserving Barefoot Bliss
While your days of barefoot tree climbing, beach combing, and general outdoor adventuring may have declined over the years, summer still represents a time when many of us dare to bare our feet slightly more often than, say, the dead of winter. This is great news for...
read morePerk Up Your Posture—Starting with Your Feet
Caitlin Klinger Professional Dancer and Dance Educator, soma system® Event Coordinator No matter what line of work we’re in, we demand a lot of our feet. They carry us from point A to B, support our weight, and let us perform some of our favorite activities. Many...
read moreWhat Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Sophia Chan Doctor of Physical Therapy, soma system® Master Instructor Taking that first step out of bed in the morning is difficult enough for many of us. However, for the 10% of Americans who have plantar fasciitis, that first step can be excruciating--like a knife...
read moreName that Muscle Group [CONTEST!]
This muscle group consists of three different muscles (four different muscle heads). When these muscles are tight, they can cause back pain because they pull the hips and pelvis out of neutral alignment. Sitting in a chair can make this muscle group tight and often...
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