# Non-D Question - Muscle Shutdown **URL:** \ **Category:** Sports & Exercise\ **Created:** [July 12, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460 "2018-07-12T18:14:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460/1 "2018-07-12T18:14:36Z")
> [@IM Injections Over Sub Q Shots/ or Pump Boluses](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/im-injections-over-sub-q-shots-or-pump-boluses/2207/2): > > I still have some needle-phobia… I have this irrational fear that the 6mm needle will come out my back (my first 2 weeks, my abs completely shut down due to this and my back was supporting all my posture, it was awful). This caught my eye, @CarolynA, For you or any well-versed body health people, can you explain muscle shut down to me? Is it triggered by stress? How does it get undone? I ask because (1) I’m curious and (2) my PT lady last year said it’s as if my entire right side of my body shut down due to stress. I have piriformis issues on my right side and am still doing all of the relevant exercises and stretches. My rib cage tends to lock up during stress which makes it hard to breathe. My diaphragm was stuck in my ribs when I started PT last year. My sports medicine doctor told me that all of my problems with my right hip (and sometimes right knee due to the right hip) will be solved if I learn to “squeeze me buttcheeks”. He said it like 10 times during my visit. So how do I always squeeze my buttcheeks for stability yet keep my ribcage loose for proper breathing? All of this simultaneous contracting and relaxing is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![CatLady](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/catlady/32/36_2.png) [@CatLady](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460/2 "2018-07-13T19:10:27Z")
> [@T1Allison](#): > > squeeze me buttcheeks Try this as a preparatory step: stand comfortably with feet parallel and hip distance apart. Lightly engage your quadriceps, keep your abs relaxed, and drop your bottom down slightly as if you were sitting on a bar stool. In yoga, lenghtening the spine like this opens up the back body and lets you keep your sternum lifted for more breath capacity. Hope that helps a bit. ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460/3 "2018-07-13T19:44:05Z")
Thank you! Will give it a try! ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460/4 "2018-07-13T21:11:52Z")
So if this simple maneuver makes several ribs and my sternum pop in a few places…I’m going to take that as a good sign? Everything cracks and pops on me these days. I make so much noise getting up out of bed, I feel like my age should be in “dog years” or “cat years”. ---
**Author:** ![CatLady](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/catlady/32/36_2.png) [@CatLady](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460/5 "2018-07-14T00:04:55Z")
I am not sure about that but as long as you are feeling no “bad” pain… ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/non-d-question-muscle-shutdown/4460/6 "2018-07-14T01:01:30Z")
No bad pain. I take it as a sign of progress…stuff unlocking. I’m gonna stick w that theory.