Can Massage (& bodywork) Get Rid of Your Muffin top?
You’ve probably seen the posts on Facebook, complete with dumpy photos, saying that people can get rid of their muffin tops by simply wearing clothes that fit. In some (perhaps many) cases, this is true. But what if I told you that your muffin top may NOT be the result of your deluded size 12 ego believing that you’re still a size 4? In order to explain, I need to start with a little anatomy but I promise I’ll keep it simple. The human pelvis is made up of several bones, which form a bowl-like structure. It looks like this:
Now, your ‘guts’ are inside this bowl and it keeps them contained like a good bowl should. But what happens if this bowl tips forward? Well… your guts start to “spill out” just like things in a bowl do when you tip the bowl. While your guts may not actually fall out, it does make your belly appear bigger, strains your low back, and it makes your clothes fit badly. In fact, it can make it darn near impossible to find clothes that will fit properly. From the outside, people see a sway back and a squishy tummy hanging over the waistband of their pants. That’s right… they see a muffin top. Here are a few ways to tell if your muffin top might be due, at least in part, to a tipped pelvis:- Look at yourself in the mirror. Does your butt stick out? Does your low back have a ginormous curve to it?
- Be honest. Is there extra room in the calves, thighs, and maybe even hip area of your pants? Being able to comfortably move is not enough for this to get a yes – can you grab hold of any extra material in those areas?
- Go into your favorite clothing store. Take a pair of pants in the size you’re currently wearing, plus the next 3-4 sizes into a dressing room. Make sure they’re all in the same style; you want to compare apples to apples. Do you have a muffin top even in those sizes that are baggy everywhere except your waist? Do you have a muffin top even when you can easily fit 1 or more fingers between your belly and the waistband of the pants?
If you see yourself in any of the above, take heart; there’s hope. Myofascial Release (MFR) can release restrictions in the fascia (connective tissue) and massage can release the tension in the muscles that are pulling on your pelvis and tipping it forward. One word of caution, however, when looking for a therapist who does Myofascial Release: Make sure that your therapist does Myofascial Release as opposed to myofascial trigger point release because some therapists use the terms interchangeably. Myofascial Release deals with the vast sheets and bands of fascia throughout the body, not just the fascia in/around trigger points. In case you’re wondering – Yes, I do Myofascial Release in addition to massage. Feel free to make an appointment to see if I can reduce your muffin top 🙂
Now, your ‘guts’ are inside this bowl and it keeps them contained like a good bowl should. But what happens if this bowl tips forward? Well… your guts start to “spill out” just like things in a bowl do when you tip the bowl. While your guts may not actually fall out, it does make your belly appear bigger, strains your low back, and it makes your clothes fit badly. In fact, it can make it darn near impossible to find clothes that will fit properly. From the outside, people see a sway back and a squishy tummy hanging over the waistband of their pants. That’s right… they see a muffin top. Here are a few ways to tell if your muffin top might be due, at least in part, to a tipped pelvis:
