US Olympian goes viral for bizarre tongue exercises to release tension in her pelvic floor
Colleen Quigley, a middle-distance runner and 2016 Olympic competitor, shared a strange technique on social media to relieve her pelvic pain, causing surprise.
The 31-year-old steeplechase specialist shared on Instagram on Tuesday that sticking her tongue out before she hits the track helps her perform at her best on race day.
The world record holder can be seen taking off her tank top in the footage posted to her profile, before grabbing her tongue, pulling it out and moving it left, right, and up and down. She holds her tongue in each direction before changing angles.
“Sometimes you’re drooling all over yourself, just trying to relax,” Quigley says in the video. There’s nothing wrong with the muscles in her jaw immediately releasing after she performs the technique.
Quigley is technically correct when he says that you should pull out your tongue to relieve pelvic pain, because the tongue and jaws are connected to the pelvis via the body’s myofascial connective tissue system.
Colleen Quigley, who competed in the steeplechase at the 2016 Olympics, revealed a technique for relieving pelvic pain using her tongue on Instagram earlier this week. It’s now gone viral
Quigley — seen at the 2023 ESPYS — credits a Texas chiropractor for the technique
Quigley credits Dr. Noah Moos, a Texas chiropractor who has previously treated American athletes at the Olympics, for teaching him the tongue-twisting trick.
However, Quigley admits that people have looked at her strangely in the past when she performed the technique.
Fans who commented on Quigley’s Instagram post couldn’t believe their eyes.
But they agreed with the track and field athlete.
“Is it April 1st? *checks* it’s August 19th,” someone wrote.
Fans commenting on Quigley’s Instagram post couldn’t believe the trick actually worked
“Okay, but why am I sticking my tongue out while watching this?” someone else commented.
‘Hahahahaha this made me laugh so much. I love it. But I also know the research with therapy and tongue ties and how they cause tension in your body so it makes sense!’ someone else shared.
‘Makes perfect sense – relaxing your jaw/mouth is also a technique they teach you for unmedicated labor… bc jaw/pelvis! Bodies are so cool,’ said one user.