At the Olympic games in Paris, 110-metre hurdles gold medalist Grant Holloway jumped over the 10 hurdles at a speed of 8.5 metres per second while his head remained still.
This is a wonderful example of a functioning vestibular system of the inner ear. The vestibular system detects rotational movements and linear accelerations allowing the head to give orientation in space and the whole body to balance.
As the body knows its location in space it can relax and reach its full potential in movement.
One can see on the video (link below) that Holloway’s shoulders and arms are fully mobile. They are rotating and swinging to their full potential.
This allowed the athlete to run and jump over the hurdles with remarkable coordination and balance.
Inner ear problems such as infections but also modern lifestyle associated with poor posture can inhibit the vestibular system.
People with an inhibited vestibular system use a compensatory strategy that consist of visual fixation and avoiding movements of the upper body in an effort to improve stability.
You probably have had the experience of trying to balance on one leg by staring at an object in front.
Using visual fixation allows to balance but only to a limited extent. This is because it makes the whole body rigid. As soon as we lose our visual reference we also lose balance. Visual fixation does not allow the body to sense the space around.
Using visual fixation and avoiding movements can lead to muscle tension, fatigue, and pain in the neck, shoulders and thoracolumbar region.
In Rolfing we work towards releasing myo-fascial restrictions that inhibit the vestibular system. We aim at substituting spatial orientation for visual fixation.
Benefits include fluidity in movement, better balance and reduced body tensions. Everyone can enjoy the benefits in their daily movements, in walking, yoga, sports or martial arts.
Below is a front view video of Grant Holloway in action (not at the Olympics), in which one can see that his head remains still.
For the 110-metre hurdles race in Paris click Here
For more information about the vestibular system click Here
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