Monday, April 23, 2012

The 4 year (and counting) anatomy class

My chiropractor has an uncanny knack for zeroing in on fired-up trigger points that I was blissfully unaware existed. Today I heard "whoa, this scalene!" Owww! Scalene? Thought that was a trapezius muscle? I got home and looked it up, there it is on the side of the neck. Dandy. Add that to the list...

Four years ago, my knowledge of human anatomy was pretty well captured by the song, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes."


Along with the athletic lifestyle comes free tuition (and forced enrollment, like it or not) in an ongoing personal anatomy class. One's own issues serve as the textbook. Mine has chapters on: IT band, peroneal tendon, biceps tendon, rotator cuff, fibula, tibialis anterior, psoas, obliques, extensors, abductors, and fibula (oh this is fun...I could go on and on....)  Oh, not to forget the "glute" family of maximum, medius, and minimus!

But my current favorite (and unfortunately a saboteur of this year's Boston run) has to be the Tensor Fasciae Latae. That one just rolls off the tongue and I just feel really smart saying it. I mean honestly, what percentage of the population even KNOWS they have these? Or how to stretch them? Or what they do? Doesn't that sound like something you'd order at Starbucks?


I think I know enough now. Please, no more anatomy lessons.