Rotation is a movement involved in the majority of the daily activities we all do. Walking, opening doors, turning your head to talk to someone, mopping the floor…and the list goes on.
The big question is do you rotate, or do you roll?
Rotation is a spiral action throughout the entire body…like a spiral staircase. And rolling is twisting your entire body as a unit…a straight staircase.
It is very common for people to have rotational imbalance and dysfunction which results in compromised movement capability and potential tightness, stiffness and pain.
Generally speaking, most people have a dominant side of the body that gets used more frequently throughout the day, creating a rotational tightness on one side and a weakness on the other.
The first step in addressing a rotational imbalance is to learn how to rotate and not roll the spine.
Spinal articulation is moving each vertebra in sequence and with its own range of movement. Generally, this is talked about in relation to bending the spine forward or backwards. But it also applies to rotation.
Articulation in rotation is like walking up each step of the spiral staircase.
Now rotation doesn’t only happen in the spine. It happens from the foot right up to the head and of course, through the arms.
Walking is one of the most fundamental movements we do with the entire body rotating on its axis every time you take a step.
A tight pelvis or lower back will not only inhibit walking efficiency but result in a rolling of the pelvis and a twisting in the lower back…rather than a spiral rotation.
Many pilates exercises teach rotation initiated from the spine and pelvis to enable this spiral action to flow through to the rest of the body.
Spine integrity is a fundamental principle of the original pilates method and so is functional walking patterns.
It has been said that Joseph Pilates would ask any new client to walk up and down the room a few times to assess their spine and walking patterns.
So next time you try a rotating exercise, be mindful of whether you are actually rotating…or rolling.
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