Aches, pains, injury, discomfort...
...will, over time, create specific adaptations that your body has become used to; not necessarily comfortable with. This is known as the SAID principle and is well known in the sports world and is absolutely applicable to everyday movement.
SAID is an acronym for Specific Adaptations to Impose Demand.
In simple terms, it means that if the body is placed under stress it will start to make changes to cope with that demand. Basically the more you do something the more the body adapts; both positively and negatively.
For example, sitting down for long periods of time shortens the hip flexors and the glutes (bum) eventually turn off to become little more than fleshy cushions, the muscles in the lower back may tighten up and the abdominals become weak.
This is known as Lower Cross Syndrome (LCS) and may cause discomfort in the lower back and not being able to stand up straight. Can you imagine the chap on the left springing into action on a treadmill, bike, cross-trainer let alone loading the body up with weights?
Sadly this a common problem with the sitting epidemic we have in modern society.
Are you holding on to old injuries?
In addition to postural changes, an old injury can inflict its own demands on the body. If the injury and associated changes have not been addressed as part of a rehabilitation plan it is possible stiffness or instability could remain, depending on the injury type.
I have been guilty in the past of seeing a physiotherapist and not doing the exercises after the session thinking 'that feels better' only for the complaint to continue!
Our brain, however, is very smart at figuring out how to work around these issues to get us through our daily lives. There will, however, always be a little niggle, ache or the groan that goes with getting into certain positions.
Has Pain Stopped You Exercising?
If you have tried to exercise and ended up in discomfort, or simply not enjoyed the process, it may well be that your body is fighting against you. This alone makes exercise more fatiguing and, therefore, less satisfying.
Understanding how well you move is not a lengthy process and the results from a quick assessment can be used to compile a plan and set of exercises specific to you to increase mobility, stability and strength where needed.
This plan, with a little homework, could have you feeling like a brand-new person in a relatively short amount of time and set the foundations for more enjoyable exercise.
If you'd like to have a quick chat to find out more about a movement screen or my approach to exercise feel free to give me a call.
Andrew
Movement Specialist and Personal Trainer