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From the Desk of
Dr. Burl R. Pettibon, DC, FABCS, FRCCM, PhD
10 Things Your Therapeutic Wobble Chair™ Does For You
At this very moment people are sitting on the Wobble Chair™ restoring function and mobility
to their spines! The exciting news for all who wobble is there are MORE and GREATER
advantages that this amazing invention has to offer beyond range of motion in the spine.
This article shares ALL of the current research and results that you can achieve as additional
benefits of using the Wobble Chair regimen in your daily routine. To better understand these
10 things, we first need to recognize what our culture, sedentary lifestyles and injuries have
done to our human development.
As humans we were born stomach (diaphragm) breathers, which
causes the stomach to normally protrude with each breath. As we
age we are told to stand up straight, and hold in our stomachs for
good posture. Good posture is necessary, however holding the
stomach in makes diaphragmatic breathing impossible.
As a result, we begin to chest breath which involves only the upper
1/3 of the lungs. There are over three times as many blood vessels
and capillaries available for carbon dioxide and oxygen exchange in
the lower 2/3 of the lungs as in the upper lung area.
As we developed in time and need of our environment and
throughout our evolution we were nomad hunter/gatherers, then
farmers. Therefore, our physiology was designed and developed for
long periods of walking and physical demands which resulted in
deeper breathing. Today we have become more sedentary and more
mechanical in our locomotion, it is easier to ride than walk. We now can move much further
and faster with less physical effort and miss out on the benefits of walking.
Speed related accidents cause injury to the form and function of
the musculoskeletal system especially the spine and are
considered by researchers and recognized experts to be the initial
cause of over 90% of chronic dysfunction and pain.
Injury results in two kinds of pain:
1. Acute pain is immediate and experienced mostly in the soft
tissues with a blood supply called red tissue (muscle). The symptoms are, bleeding or
bruising, heat, redness, swelling and pain. Acute pain is usually resolves after the bleeding
is contained and the swelling is gone. It may last up to 6 months, and when acute pain is
gone it leads the injured person to believe that they are healed.
2. Chronic Pain is usually developmental, that is, from altered
upright form and function. This is caused by uncorrected injuries
of white tissues (ligaments, disks, joint cartilages) which
normally hold the musculoskeletal system especially spinal
structures and joints together so that they can retain their
normal form and function. Uncorrected injuries to these systems
allow their form and function to be forced into altered positions
and function depending on the forces of their ultimate loads
including gravity. White tissues have no blood supply therefore they heal slowly.1
Injury to the form and function of the musculoskeletal system especially to the spine leads
to faulty posture and inability to breathe properly. Improper breathing limits the oxygen in
the blood. 2 Published research explains that
blood Ph. at 7.4 allows blood proteins to be
inflammatory. The research further explains
that by increasing the oxygen in the blood
causes the Ph. to rise to 7.75 or above and
therefore eliminate the inflammatory protein
as well as the chronic pain and disease the
inflammatory proteins cause. 3, 4, 5
The pelvic diaphragm called the secondary
muscles of breathing. The pelvic diaphragm
is made up of the pubococcygeus,
iliococcygeus, and levator ani muscles. These muscles aids in the lung emptying process.
When these muscles are contracted the lungs are emptied as entirely as possible of the
carbon dioxide-saturated air and allow a more complete diaphragm breath, fully loaded with
oxygen, to be inhaled.6
Human anatomy and physiology was designed for walking. Full stride
walking causes the hips and shoulders to rotate in simultaneous
counter rotation figure 8 motions that balance each other out while
keeping the head and spine centered under gravity. Walking is what
causes the 3-dimensional spine to function quadrilaterally, in X, Y, Z
motions. That is in side-to-side (X), up-down(Y) and front-to-back (Z).
The 3 directions are not necessary equal, but each direction
is equal in that, each positive action creates an equal and
opposite action. Example: If the right side of the body rotates
forward, (+ Z) then the left side has to rotate backward (-Z)
and equal amount around the spine.
The physical actions or figure 8 motions of the upright body
produced by walking are responsible for many physiological
actions. These actions cause the body to perform necessary
functions completely, correctly and pain free including
breathing, digestion, as well as hormonal balancing. 7
When we injure our physical body in one or multiple accidents
we un-equally tear ligaments that normally hold the spinal joints
together and in proper alignment. This un-equal support system
causes unequal form and function of the spinal system, nervous
system and nutrition delivery system, with chronic pain. Aberrant
spinal form causes aberrant function of the spine, the nervous
system, and the nerves that exit through it.
The task then is to cause the brain and neuro-muscular system
to reflexly correct spinal form first. This is done by (healing)
rehabbing injured ligaments and causing them to align with the
© 2017 By The Pettibon Biomechanics Institute, Inc - 2118 Jackson Hwy, Chehalis, WA 98532
www.PettibonSystem.com
ultimate loads they are designed to limit and control. The patient’s body will do this
naturally when properly stimulated by the figure 8 motion, therefore correcting the cause of
abnormal form of the spine so that it, the nervous system, digestive system and blood
vascular system can function as intended and pain free. Some research claims that all
chronic diseases and dysfunction at the cellular level including
asthma, arthritis, heart disease and cancer, to name a few are
triggered by inflammatory proteins delivered by the blood.
Therefore, we have a physical and a metabolic cause of chronic
pain and dysfunction.
To combat today’s sedentary lifestyle, we need to perform
necessary procedures that mimic the physical actions of walking
with daily multiple use of the therapeutic wobble chair.
Here are 10 of the many biological-metabolic functions the wobble chair
produces with its figure 8 motion.
1) Prepares the spine for further rehabilitation and strengthening. Spinal “core
stability” exercises are necessary before strength, endurance and agility training can
be effective. Further literature review shows that 90% of all chronic pain is located in
the musculoskeletal system. The most common sites of pain include the low back,
pelvis, head, neck and shoulders.
2) Rehydrates the disc. Allows the user to
produce full range figure 8 hip motion that
mimics full stride walking, thereby loading
and unloading the lumbar spine. This
motion pumps fluids into spinal disks and
ligaments, which hydrates and re-hydrates
each disc’s nucleus as well as pumping out their tissue cell waste.
3) It increases of cerebra-spinal-fluids (CSF) pressure and flow. The two hemispheres of
the brain produce 500-800 ml of CSF in various amounts throughout the day. The
fluid is rich in oxygen and glucose; the nutrients the nervous system uses as fuel to
function. The fluids are secreted into the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain
and spinal cord. This protective sheath covers the entire spinal cord and is attached
by a fibrous strand, the filum terminale to the end of the sacrum just in front of the
coccyx/tail bone. The pumping action
of the sacrum produced by forwardback-side-to-side sacral motion
normally produced by walking
circulates the CSF and increases the
fluid pressure and flow from resting
15 mm mercury up to 50 – 55 mm
mercury. After the fluid is circulated
around the brain and spinal cord, it
empties into the venous system at the
brains arachnoid villa. The increase of
CSF pressure and flow is also
© 2017 By The Pettibon Biomechanics Institute, Inc - 2118 Jackson Hwy, Chehalis, WA 98532
www.PettibonSystem.com
produced by 12 to 15 minutes of Wobble Chair exercising. The increased pressure
produces a feeling or mental clarity and physical well-being runners that run far
enough to cause the same feelings called “The Runners High”.
4) Helps O2 exchange. The figure 8 action of walking
mimics the forces of full range deep diaphragmatic
inhalation and exhalation that completely aerates
and oxygenates the lungs. Full exhalation expels
carbon dioxide and about 20% of the body’s tissue
cell waste thereby regulating the odor of one’s
breath.9, 13, 14
5) Clears the lungs. The same figure 8 motions and full
diaphragmatic breathing during inhalation and
exhalation clears the lungs of accumulated mucus
and phlegm. If not excreted leads to lung conditions
of bronchitis, sore throat, allergies and phenomena,
to name a few. 9, 13, 14
6) Raising blood pH. Full diaphragm-stomach breathing fully oxygenates the lungs and
thereby the blood causing the pH of the blood to raise. Blood with a pH of 7.4 is
slightly alkaline and filled with inflammatory proteins, at a pH 7.75 or higher there
are few or no inflammatory proteins in the blood. NOTE: Inflammatory proteins in
the blood is considered by most experts to be the chemical cause of all chronic
diseases and chronic pain. 3, 10
7) Helps with elimination. The figure 8 motion of wobble
chair causes the pelvic girdle to cause a greater
peristaltic action of the large intestine that stimulates
normal daily evacuation. 11
8) Stimulates immune and lymphatic system. 80% of the
body’s hormonal glands and 70% of the immune systems
glands including the lymphatics are housed in the
intestines. 11 The figure 8 motion of the wobble chair if
performed multiple (5) times per day causes motions
necessary for stimulation of hormonal, immune and
lymphatic systems normal function.
9) Massages the heart. The heart is
massaged during deep diaphragmatic
breathing aided by the figure 8 motion
of the wobble chair. The diaphragm
muscles central tendon, is attached to
the lower end of the heart, and gently
massages it with every breath. 12
© 2017 By The Pettibon Biomechanics Institute, Inc - 2118 Jackson Hwy, Chehalis, WA 98532
www.PettibonSystem.com
10)Increases blood flow back to the
heart. The diaphragm’s downward
contraction during inhalation
causes the vena cava to
momentarily increase in size with
an increase in venous pressure
causing an acceleration of venous
blood flow back to the heart. 12
© 2017 By The Pettibon Biomechanics Institute, Inc - 2118 Jackson Hwy, Chehalis, WA 98532
www.PettibonSystem.com
Therapeutic Wobble Chair™ Procedures:
1) The user sits and grasps one handle in each hand and holds the upper body as
upright as possible while allowing the pelvis and entire spine complete range of
motion. Used correctly, the head, neck and upper body
moves opposite the motion of the lower body so the
entire spine is involved in needed loading and unloading
motions.
After warm-up and stretching, the figure-8 motion procedures are performed.
2) To perform, the user slowly (on a slow count 1-2-3) forces pelvis and their stomach
forward toward one knee while taking a deep diaphragmatic breath. Then the pelvis
is pulled straight back while exhaling completely.
3) The procedure is repeated with the stomach forced toward the other knee. Forcing
the stomach toward each knee while breathing deeply causes the diaphragm muscle
to pull down and flatten thereby allowing the lungs to complete aeration.
© 2017 By The Pettibon Biomechanics Institute, Inc - 2118 Jackson Hwy, Chehalis, WA 98532
www.PettibonSystem.com
References:
1. John J. Bonica distinguished lecture. Acute pain and the injury response: immediate and
prolonged effects. Cousins MJ1. Reg Anesth. 1989 Jul-Aug;14(4):162-79.
2. BREATHING PATTERN DISORDERS AND FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT Helen Bradley, PT,
MSc1 and Joseph Dr. Esformes, PhD, CSCS2 Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2014 Feb; 9(1): 28–39.
3. The Wim Hof Method Explained By Isabelle Hof, June 2015 Updated January 2016
Translation by Claire van den Bergh, Les Plus Belles 2015 Enahm Hof/Innerfire 2015
[email protected]
4. Voet, Donald; Judith G. Voet; Charlotte W. Pratt (2013). Fundamentals of Biochemistry:
Life at the Molecular Level (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 189.
5. Holger K. Eltzschig, M.D., Ph.D. and Peter Carmeliet, M.D., Ph.D. “Hypoxia and
Inflammation” N Engl J Med. 2011 Feb 17; 364(7): 656–665
6. Asher A (2010) Muscles of breathing and posture. Retrieved June 28, 2010, from Bella
Online: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34572.asp
7. Irzhak, L. I. (2005). "Christian Bohr (On the Occasion of the 150th Anniversary of His
Birth)". Human Physiology. 31 (3): 366–368.
8. Woo S, Buckwalter J, Injury and Repair of the Musculoskeletal Soft Tissues. Journal of
Orthopedic Research June1987
9. Deep Breathing for Lung Cleansing by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN,
DABFM Published on October 30, 2012, Last Updated on August 8, 2014
10. Bohr; Hasselbalch, Krogh. "Concerning a Biologically Important Relationship - The
Influence of the Carbon Dioxide Content of Blood on its Oxygen Binding".
11. Vighi, et al, J. British Society for Immunology, 2008
12. “Turn Deep Breathing Into A Second Heart” NaturalNews.com, Wednesday, October 15, 2008
by: Richard Stossel
13. COPD Foundation. COPD AND YOU. Accessed 5/21/2014.
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
(COPD). Accessed 5/21/2014.
15. Pettibon BR. Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Procedures Reinvented. 2006 The Pettibon
Institute Gig Harbor, WA
© 2017 By The Pettibon Biomechanics Institute, Inc - 2118 Jackson Hwy, Chehalis, WA 98532
www.PettibonSystem.com