What is Sotai?

Sotai Q & A

1. Basic Q & A

Why do you start the procedure from your feet in Sotai?

Because the feet are the foundation of the body. The body is the same as a building, and if the foundation is not solid, the overall balance cannot be maintained no matter how much attention is paid to the fine things. So, start with your feet and work your way up. Please take a look at the first part of Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home” on this site

What is the reason why acupressure is not good?

If you press hard, it will damage the muscle fibers. A muscle is a collection of fine fibers that are wrapped in fascia to form a thick mass of muscles. If pressed hard, the fibers will be crushed and cause internal bleeding or swelling. Therefore, it is very important to lightly press and shake it instead of pressing it strongly. That way, you can loosen deep muscles without damaging the fibers.

Do you have symptoms that cure and those that do not? How do you know?

Sotai is effective for traumatic diseases such as bruise and sprain, and for pain and imbalance caused by lifestyle. It works for both acute and chronic symptoms. On the other hand, there is no improvement in medical symptoms. Pain may occur due to diseases of the digestive system, circulatory system, urinary system, etc. In such cases, it is recommended to have a medical examination and medical treatment by a specialist such as internal medicine.

2. Q & A for each symptomatology

I usually suffer from headaches and stiff shoulders. What is the improvement plan?

It is important to balance the whole body, not just the hard part. It is basic to start the sotai method from the feet and remove the distortion and bias of the body. In addition, there are many people who have a habit of moving their bodies on a daily basis and suffer from headaches and stiff shoulders, so please take a look at Sotai seen in the video Part3 “Review movements of daily life” on this site

I tend to have knee pain. What is the cause?

Most of the time, it’s not just the knee problem, but walking and sitting habits. My knees don’t deform because I’m old. If you have become a habit of walking without muscles since you were young, the strain on your joints will increase and you will gradually become deformed. Always be aware of the correct way to walk using the muscles of your entire body, from your toes to your ankles, knees, hips, abs, back muscles, arms, and neck. (Sotai seen in the video Part3 “Review movements of daily life” > III. How to walk)

I’m in trouble because I don’t fall asleep and sleep lightly. Is there any way?

Some of the causes of poor sleep and light sleep are medical, and there is also compatibility between the futon and the body (Sotai seen in the video Part3 Review movements of daily life > v. How to sleep). In addition, there are many people who are tired and unable to relax when sleeping. Before going to bed, try a sotai method that is easy to do by yourself (Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”), stretch lightly, and even take abdominal breathing. The autonomic nerves are well-balanced and sleep is switched on.

I often twist my neck while asleep, what should I do?

For most people, the futon and body don’t go well with each other (Sotai seen in the video Part3 “Review movements of daily life” > v. How to sleep). Expensive futons may not be right for you. If you think you’ve fallen asleep, don’t panic and try the sotai on your back (Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”). Repeat the exercise of slowly extending from the heel in the order of the right foot and the left foot. If 60% of the pain goes away, the rest will heal naturally.

I’ve been told that I have a habit of walking since I was little, and it’s easy to get sprained.

Considering why I got into the habit of walking, I think that our current life is now walking only in flat places. A long time ago in Japan, I used to walk on gravel roads and unpaved roads with clogs. In such a living environment, my walking habits were naturally corrected and I was able to regain a well-balanced way of walking. I hear that there are up and down courses and uneven soil courses on the ground of the team that has won the relay race many times. By running on an uneven surface, I think that a habit-free, injured foam is created. Please refer to Sotai seen in the video Part3 “Review movements of daily life” > III. How to walk on this site.

Recently, it seems that I have become an O-leg, so I’m bothered.

If you continue to walk unbalanced for many years without using the entire muscle strength of your lower body, it will become the source of your O-legs. Learn how to walk in the correct posture, moving all muscles from your toes to your hips. You can refer to Sotai seen in the video Part3 “Review movements of daily life” > III. How to walk” on this site.

I’m often told that I have stoop, what should I do?

People who have a habit of sitting are more likely to be stooped. The point is to put a cushion under the hips so that the knees are lower than the hip joints. This will transfer the load to your lower limbs, making it easier for you to stretch your hips and back and tighten your mouth. In other words, practicing proper sitting with the muscles of the buttocks will prevent stooping. (Sotai seen in the video Part3 Review movements of daily life > II. Sitting movement and sitting posture)

I have a pain in my lower back since I was pregnant, and it continues after giving birth.

If you walk with a heavy object, your toes will unknowingly turn outward, and you will feel like a crab crotch. The same thing happens during pregnancy. After giving birth, hold the child and walk with luggage. If this posture continues, a load is applied to the outside and the lower back becomes a habit of falling, which causes back pain. The point is that the toes are facing straight forward and the crab does not walk in the crotch. Be aware of the muscles around your thighs, buttocks, and hips, and try to use the entire muscles of your lower body in a well-balanced manner. (Sotai seen in the video Part3 Review movements of daily life)

I was diagnosed with frozen shoulders, but it doesn’t heal at all. Can Sotai cure me?

Frozen shoulder is a symptomatology of adhesive capsulitis, and lime is deposited in the joint, the range of movement of the arm becomes extremely narrow, and pain occurs with a little movement. Frozen shoulder is a symptom of periarthritis of the shoulder, and although it can be moved, it is painful and it is difficult to raise the arm. Another symptom is rotator cuff tear, in which the elbow does not rise above shoulder height due to shoulder cuff injury.

Sotai improves forty shoulders and frozen shoulders. In the case of rotator cuff tears, sotai is useful for rehabilitation, but surgery is often required.

If you have strong pain in your forty or fifty shoulders, fix it with a sling and stabilize it. It’s an inflammation of the joints, so it won’t heal unless you rest. What you should not do is improper rehabilitation to endure the pain, such as forcibly raising or swinging your arm.

Since the back of the neck is often unbalanced, it is important to balance the whole body by using the sotai method in order from the toes. In rehabilitation, it is important to make it easier to move the muscles that pull up the shoulder joint, so be patient around the shoulder blades. The movement of sumo wrestling teppo and push-ups facing the wall in a standing position are effective.

What should I do when I get a strained back?

First, let’s cool immediately with an ice pack and rest. The pain will be alleviated just by cooling in a comfortable sideways position for 15 to 30 minutes. After that, put a pillow on your back and raise your upper body a little, put a cushion on the back of your knees and bend your knees to relax your lower back and get a comfortable posture. Let’s start the sotai method with the posture on your back (Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”).

You will be able to do prone sotai, but if the pain is strong, do not overdo it, and after a while, repeat the sotai on your back.

Acute low back pain is the same swelling of joints as sprains, so it is important not to put a strain on your lower back with crutches while the swelling is strong.

In addition, you can prevent it by reviewing your daily movements such as how to stand, how to sit, how to walk, how to sleep, and how to hold.

Is it also effective in treating whiplash?

If you are in a prone position and the length of your left and right legs changes when you change your face to the left or right, you suspect whiplash. Follow the basics of Sotai, move each part from your toes to the top to balance your whole body. Even if it doesn’t improve at once, it can be improved little by little to get closer to a stable state.
（Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”）

Is it effective for the aftereffects of cerebral infarction?

Rehabilitation of cranial nerve diseases is not my specialty, but physiotherapists who have adopted sotai have been successful. Rather than rehabilitation that focuses on standing walking, rehabilitation that rehabilitates on all fours and moves forward, backward, left, right, diagonally, and while shaking the body seems to be more effective. For contracture of limbs, you can rehabilitate with less pain by moving it to a comfortable person instead of a painful person.

3. About children and the elderly

Is Sotai effective for small children?

There is. Tickle both sides of your baby’s navel and you’ll be happy to move your limbs. At this time, I naturally move my body toward a comfortable person and restore my balance. When you are 3-4 years old, you will understand how to receive sotai and how to move it easily, so please try it at home (Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”).

A child who was complaining of pain was told at the hospital that he had growth pain.

The difference between bone growth and muscle growth is the cause of growth pain. Let’s relieve muscle tension with Sotai (Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”). Growing pain often occurs in the knees, shins, and calves. If you rotate your ankle in a direction that does not hurt, the pain will subside. If you experience severe pain when moving, suspect a fatigued fracture. Stress fractures often do not have swelling and become more painful when warmed in a bath or the like. Please find out about that.

Both my mother and grandmother are bent. Is it heredity?

I don’t think it’s heredity. I think that the long-term living environment and lifestyle have a great influence. You can prevent hip bending by reviewing basic activities of daily living such as how to stand, sit, and walk, and try to maintain a proper balance of the whole body. Please take a look at Sotai seen in the video Part3 “Review movements of daily life” on this site .

My mother is over 90 years old. Does Sotai work?

It is also effective for elderly people. Let’s start the sotai method in a comfortable posture. On your back, put a pillow from your neck to your back to raise your upper body slightly, and put a cushion on the back of your knees to bend your knees. For prone, put a cushion under your chest and under your ankles. After creating a comfortable posture in this way, let’s move slowly, without overdoing it, within a comfortable range. Instead of spending a lot of time at once, I think it’s better to continue little by little every day.
（Sotai seen in the video Part1 “Sotai at home”）

4. About sports training

A junior high school child says that he has a backache after club activities.

The most important thing to watch out for is whether you are doing abdominal or back muscle exercises with your lower back as the fulcrum. Exercise of the abdominal and back muscles puts a heavy burden on the lumbar spine and damages the soft spine during the growth period. Not good for elementary, junior high and high school students. In many cases, even college students avoid it. There is also a risk of lumbar spondylolisthesis, and club activity leaders are required to manage safety.

I often get pain after yoga and stretching lessons. What is the cause?

Don’t you do over excersize to keep the pace of group lesson? If you work hard in the direction of your pain, it will cause the stronger pain. The point of yoga stretching is “become good at what is easy, don’t work hard when it hurts, and stop when you feel unpleasant.” Please refer to “Sotai seen in the video – Part2 ‘Wake-up stretch’” on this site.

Should I warm or cool when I get injured?

Basically, let it cool immediately. By quickly cooling the initial inflammation and keeping it small, it will heal faster. Cooling with an ice pack for 15 to 30 minutes will reduce the pain. Most often, if you hurt your lower back while working in the winter, you often think that it is due to the cold and warm it up, but when you warm it up, the inflammation spreads and worsens. Even if you hurt something during work, it is important to cool it down immediately rather than trying hard until the work is finished.

I’m not sure how much exercise is right for me?

First of all, time, and then a feeling of fatigue. The time is as long as 30 minutes. Ideally, if you are walking, you should walk at a heart rate just before you huh, and be able to do your next job immediately after returning home. Morning, noon, night, 10 minutes each is OK. If 30 minutes is not enough, we recommend that you take some time to exercise to avoid the accumulation of muscle and internal organ fatigue.

How much should a pedometer be used as a guide?

You don’t have to stick about the number. Face your body and use the time and feeling of fatigue as a guide rather than the number of steps you have taken.