The benefits of walking are well known by most people as a first rate exercise, but walking is also especially good for the little known and understood involuntary movement of the craniosacral mechanism with which we all are endowed with as human beings. Specifically, this involves the two ends of the spine to which are attached at the top end, the base bone of the skull, called the occiput. The other at the bottom end, commonly known as the tail bone area or to be more exact, the sacrum and coccyx bones.
In order to understand the significance of this mechanism, one must grasp the idea that everything in our bodies has motion. We move and it (our cells, tissues and organs from the least to the greatest of parts) move or has motion. We can’t always see it, because it is a small or micro movement (called motility), but it is taking place all the time and it is an involuntary action. The skull and sacral movement is quite unique, in that it is found to be reciprocal in action, i.e., one bone moving before or after the other. Now, you may ask, if it is involuntary, why even be concerned? Even this involuntary micro movement can get stalled or interfered with. Let’s look at how this is suggested to occur.
Firstly, the skull and spine (include sacrum and coccyx) are linked, not only bone to bone but by a dura – outer most layer of the meninges. This is the covering of your spinal cord. Your spinal cord which is an extension of your brain and which passes through each spinal bone down to about the level of the 2nd lumbar vertebra (upper lumbar spine or upper part of the lower back) is covered by the dura. The spinal cord as it sits in your spine is loosely attached in the back and strongly attached in the front as well as being firmly attached to the skull base – bone (occiput) and the sacrum. Again, let’s make it more interesting. Keeping in mind the aforementioned, add some fluid that is going to circulate through your brain and spinal cord, namely, cerebrospinal fluid. This is a fluctuating fluid which is produced in the brain and distributed throughout your brain and spinal cord moving up and down in your brain and spinal cord. It provides mechanical support of the brain and protects it by its abundancy. It also controls your brains excitability, so you may say it has some “power”. Research confirms walking increases the connectivity between your brain circuits, and as we age, it becomes ever so more important in our activities of daily living.
Remembering that this cerebrospinal fluid is a fluctuating fluid moving up and down, rocking each spinal vertebra ever so slightly, and also rocking the sacrum and base-bone of the skull, but in a reciprocal fashion. What is important for you to consider, is that the movement of the spinal cord and this fluctuation of cerebrospinal fluid is said to be restricted when there is physical/mechanical loss or structural stress and even emotional or chemical stress to your nervous system. Obviously, this micro movement or motility cannot be seen unless in a clinical lab setting, but it can be felt by persons trained to evaluate the function of the cranio-sacral mechanism. If nothing is done to normalize the function of this mechanism, when there is interference to its function, your brain and spinal cord circulation is suggested to be affected at some level. Spasm of your neck and spine musculature, some limited mobility, pain and temperature changes may be the first indication. Sinus and lymphatic drainage in parts of the head, face and spinal system may be affected as well. So, any interference with the normal function of the craniosacral spinal system is also an interference with your nervous system function.
Walking, which promotes the torsional movement of the body and spine well, will most certainly affect the general circulation, drainage, and motility of your craniosacral spinal system which affects most importantly, normal nervous system function. Craniosacral therapy today is used to enhance nervous system function in the very young up through and including old age, because of its very gentle, tactile therapeutic nature. It is an effective release therapy of neuromuscular tension, vertebral spinal subluxation/fixations, and lymphatic blockages in the head, face and spinal systems, thereby, affecting other body systems qualitatively. Something to think about!
Submitted by Francis X. Tortora, D.C., D.I.C.S.