When clients first see the Egoscue Multi-Positioning Tower and are told it is going to be in their new menu their response is typically one of these two:
1. Wow! I’ve heard so much about this and have been wondering when you’d have me do it. My friend said the Tower helped her so much!
or
2. I don’t feel anything. How is this helping me? Why do I have to lie here so long?
I thought I would take a minute an explain a little about how the Tower works, why it works, why it can take a long time, why you might not feel anything during it, and what postural imbalances it can have a positive effect on. Whether you have done the Tower before or not, hopefully this will help you get a better understanding of this powerful E-cise and encourage you to try it for the first time or continue to commit to it if you are already doing it.
The Supine Groin Progressive is the most common E-cise that the Egoscue Tower is used for and Pete Egoscue in Pain Free describes that “This E-cise is designed to allow flexion and extension of the leg, rather than rotation through adduction and abduction (side-to-side movement).”
Let’s break this down to a very simple terms that you will understand and then explain why it can take an hour (or longer) for that to happen. In Pain Free, Pete first introduces the Progressive Supine Groin in the knee pain chapter when talking about “external rotation”. External rotation of the femur can be seen when looking at your knees in a mirror from the front and the knee caps are pointing outward (instead of straight ahead).
The femur is being rotated out by strong tight muscles in the hip (psoas, iliacus, etc) that usually are also holding the pelvis in extension (anterior pelvic tilt).
What is happening in the body in this situation is described in the P3 (Posture, Pain, and Performance Workshop material):
Keep in mind that the body is a unit and that the body is linked functionally from head to toe. The anterior tilt of the pelvis is caused by the strong, tight hip flexor muscles and puts excessive arching into the low back. The more a person walks with the tight hip flexors, the more they pull down on the spine and exacerbate the problem. To relieve the tension on the spine, the upper back rounds – taking the shoulders forward – and the head tilts downward. To relieve the tension in the hips, the femurs externally rotate, taking the knees and feet outward. This is a formula for pain up and down the body.
Going back to the knee chapter of Pain Free, Pete talks about how this constant rotational torque coming from the hip is transferred into the knee joint. The knee is a hinge joint (think door hinge) and is designed to flex and extend (the door opening and closing) not rotate. That rotational torque is what can cause knee pain. The Tower is designed to unlock the tight hip flexors which will allow the pelvis to return to neutral, the spine to come out of lordosis and return to normal and the femur to return to neutral and point straight again. This will cause a chain reaction up the body allowing upper back to come out of excessive spinal flexion, the shoulders to move back into position and the head to center itself over the torso once again. The Tower also helps to reconnect the kinetic chain from your ankle to knee to hip and get them functioning as a unit once again.
(BTW just because I’m talking about knee pain here, that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing the Tower addresses. The Tower will help with: low back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, sprained ankle, degenerative knee pain, degenerative hip pain, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spondylosis, herniated discs, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, and many other problems. I’ll outline how the Tower effects some of these in future posts – stay tuned.)
Watch this video to learn how to do the Tower:
How long it takes each person to do the Tower will depend on their unique postural imbalances but for most people it takes around an hour. As the video explains, you start with your leg in the top level and stay there until your low back releases completely to the floor (typically 5 minutes). At that point you can lower your leg one notch and then wait for your back to release to the floor again. Since there are six levels of the Tower it will take on average 30 minutes per leg or 1 hour for both legs.
If you are in chronic pain and have tried everything, but not the Tower, it is worth a try. This is the one e-cise that is easy to do and will make a huge impact on your posture and pain. Stop by your nearest Egoscue clinic to come try it for free. We’ll explain what is going on in your body and why the Tower will help you.
To learn how the Egoscue Tower helps eliminate chronic lower back pain watch this video.
#1 by healthandmotion on November 16, 2010 - 6:35 am
After a client is pain free, subsequent use of the Tower as a preventive measure is of great value in keeping clients properly aligned and healthy long term. Spending time doing Supine Groin Progressive in the Tower is often next to last or last in most of my menus as a preventive action.
Frank Parmelee
Health & Motion
Toledo, Ohio
#2 by Karin Edwards Wagner, Certified Rolfer on December 14, 2010 - 9:41 am
This looks like an interesting tool. It seems to give various height options, as opposed to just using whatever furniture is handy?
I was hoping that this article would explain why this resting position needs to be held for such a long time. The author says that they would address that point but I’m still unclear. Curious to understand the Egoscue approach better; I find that it is complimentary yet sometimes rather different than the Rolfing(R) Structural Integration approach.
#3 by egoscueportland on December 14, 2010 - 10:52 am
Karin, Thanks for the comment. If you have not tried the Tower I encourage you to come into the clinic some time and we can explain it to you and let you try it – it is the most powerful piece of physical therapy equipment in the world in my opinion. I updated the post to help explain why the e-cise takes as long as it does. Also watch the video (which I updated the link for) because it will explain the process also. Give us a call and set up a time to come in and we can explain Egoscue in more detail to you and you can help us gain a better understanding of Rolfing also. In addition a great resource to learn how Rolfing and Egoscue are similar and different would be calling the owner of our Santa Barbara clinic Isaac Osborne who practiced and taught Rolfing before opening his Egoscue clinic. Hope that helps!
#4 by Karin Edwards Wagner, Certified Rolfer on December 15, 2010 - 12:37 am
Thanks, I will take you up on your invitation! Perhaps in late January after holiday travel is all over. Are you Matt, Martin, or Kelly? I will mention your name when I call.
The video link still isn’t working for me, but I’m using Chrome so that could be the problem.
The updated post is more clear. It’s helpful to know that you are gradually phasing people toward the floor as the psoas relaxes. I read about a simple version of this exercise in the “Pain Free for Women” book but this certainly sounds more specific.
How often do people need to do it, and how long will it take until it has longterm benefit and doesn’t need to be done as often?
Thanks for your replies!
Cheers,
Karin
#5 by egoscueportland on December 15, 2010 - 10:13 pm
This is Matt. The video can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBSeycBZ9V8
#6 by Margaret Benoit on May 13, 2011 - 6:44 am
How long must one do this exercise? Once a day or week? How often. I have Plantar Faciaitis along with weak ankles & have been doing the tower with great success? Must I keep doing it once a week or day? Please let me know. MB
#7 by egoscueportland on May 13, 2011 - 9:14 am
I would recommend doing it at least twice a week but it can be done daily. Do it as often as you can to get the fastest results. Let me know how it goes and if you would like a free consultation in-person or over Skype or the phone give us a call and we’ll happily set that up. Matt
#8 by dennis colleran on May 15, 2011 - 9:23 am
Hi,I have the tower and Have used it for several years. When I got the tower I was instructed to use the top only and at twenty minutes at a time.. After watching you r video I am wondering why and should I change now. I am former clients of Martins’ in Yakima.. Thanks Denny
#9 by Frank William Parmelee, Jr. on May 16, 2011 - 3:25 am
Good Morning Denny,
Keeping the angle of the leg in the same position [top of tower] for the entire time defeats the purpose of the e-cise. Getting the largest strongest muscle in the body to release must be done in increments. Staying in the top most position the angle doesn’t change and neither does the iliopsoas which is why you do Supine Groin Progressive, emphasis on “progressive”. The object is to have the back flatten to the floor with the leg fully extended and the iliopsosas its longest [flat to floor].
#10 by egoscueportland on May 16, 2011 - 9:52 pm
Hi Denny, You were probably instructed to stay at the top level only because of how tight your hips were at the time or because of symptoms. The goal is to wait at each level long enough that your low back rests completely flat on the floor. At that point (usually 2-10 minutes) lower down one level and wait for your back to release to the floor. I will do this e-cise 2 times a week for 10 minutes per level totally 1 hour per leg and 2 hours total. Give us a call if you want more specific advice for you. Great to hear from you and keep e-cising! Matt
#11 by dennis colleran on May 28, 2011 - 5:44 am
Does theTower take the place of Supine Groin Stretch in the Hip chapter of Pain Free. My riight hip is very tight. Which work best?
Thanks,
Denny
#12 by egoscueportland on June 28, 2011 - 8:47 am
Dennis, sorry if I didn’t reply to this yet. Yes the Supine Groin Progressive can take the place of the Supine Groin Stretch, it is just another version of the stretch. For people who are very tight the Tower almost always works much better. Try it and let us know how it goes.
#13 by Alison on June 28, 2011 - 4:09 am
I have been thinking about getting the tower after reading about it in the 4-hour body book. I don’t have any significant back pain, but as a runner i have VERY tight lower back, hips, hamstrings and can barely bend over enough to put my socks on in the mornings. I am 44 and worry how I am going to get my socks/shoes on 20 years from now! I also am too inflexible to be able to get into an overhead squat position, and most squatting exercises are difficult for me (i also do crossfit). I have also had alot of IT Band issues and struggle with my posture. Is the tower going to deliver results i am looking for?
#14 by egoscueportland on June 28, 2011 - 8:59 am
Alison, you sure are tight! You are very smart to be thinking about what you can do about the tightness now before it gets worse and does lead to pain and more limitation. Yes I think the Supine Groin Progressive in the Tower would be highly beneficial to you and it will over time help loosen up your low back, hips, hamstrings, and hip flexors. You might even notice a big difference the first time you do it, but even if you do not keep doing it and you will notice big changes over time. I would also recommend doing 3 simple e-cises before and after very run to help with your flexibility and function. We created a youtube video with them which you can view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C8f3BC6wDE
Let me know if you have any questions and if you would like personalized help give us a call and we can discuss the different options from In-Person Therapy, to Skype Therapy, to E-mail Therapy that would all be highly beneficial to you. Matt
#15 by Jeff Thomas on August 20, 2011 - 10:11 am
Hello,
I’m suffering from iliopsoas tendinitis on my right side. As with poster#13, I’m also thinking about getting the tower after reading about it in the 4-hour body book. I don’t have any lower back pain problems. I’m just curious if the supine groin stretch progressive tower exercise would be beneficial for iliopsoas tendinitis? Thank you. Jeff
#16 by egoscueportland on August 22, 2011 - 3:54 pm
Hi Jeff, My quick answer would be yes the Tower would most likely help your pain. But first we should ask some questions and try to get some answers about your issue. First – why is the pain only on your right side? That tells me that you have a hip disparity and almost certainly lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine compensations for that imbalance along with a scapular disparity. These postural imbalances need to be corrected in order for your body to return to its balanced and pain free blueprint. Will the Tower help with these imbalances? Yes, but you probably want to work more directly at these areas also. Often a person’s hip or back pain is actually caused by scapular and thoracic back dysfunctions. If you want to take photos of your posture (front, back, left, right sides – head to barefoot wearing shorts and no shirt) I’d happily look at them and let you know what I see going on. Just email them to matt@egoscue.com and we can chat about what is going on. I can call or email you back, whichever you prefer. Hope that helps, Matt.
#17 by Daniel Duckworth on November 9, 2011 - 3:33 pm
Are there any clinical studies or evidence that this exercise helps to cure back pain?
#18 by egoscueportland on November 9, 2011 - 4:00 pm
Only thousands and thousands of clients who are now pain free after doing the Tower and the rest of their menus over a period of time to correct their posture. Why do you ask? Have you tired it? If not, do it 3+ days a week for a month and let me know what you learned. I’d love it hear.