Moving Mindfully
By Alison Palmer
As a physical therapist who practices functional manual therapy, I am constantly helping my patients to be able to move and function more efficiently. Whether it is an elite athlete who is wanting to stay injury free, or someone who has had a joint replacement and wants to feel comfortable going down stairs, my goal is to help improve the quality of movement so that the body is fully integrated and movement happens with the greatest ease.
It is easy to think of improving movement by just considering the structure of the body. For example do my hip flexors feel tight when I run because they are short? Or, could it be because they are unable to relax? Is the problem because I have tight hip flexors or because the nervous system is unable to change the response in the hip flexors which would allow these muscles to successfully elongate?
Another way to look at this is to ask if the problem is a hardware problem in the muscle itself or a software problem with the control system which is the central nervous system.
When a muscle is torn, that is a hardware problem that needs to be addressed. But when the nervous system changes how we move to compensate for the injury, that is a software response. It then becomes important to retrain the nervous system to resume normal efficient movement patterns.
The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is extremely adaptable and capable of reorganization and forming new neural connections. This is called neuroplasticity and is an important finding that has given us a better understanding of how we can improve function in the body throughout our lifetime. It is when we are learning to move more efficiently that the nervous system can learn new ways to allow the body to move and learn new skills very quickly if given the right input. These changes can be immediate and will become permanent if the skills are practiced enough.
Efficient movement involves coordination whereby the muscles and joints are working and interacting successfully with each other. It also includes the ability to relax appropriate muscles to allow normal range of movement to occur. Stability is an important aspect and comes from the core muscles which need to fire first when movement occurs. Good postural alignment is essential for the body to move efficiently and for our core muscles to fire automatically. Efficient patterns of movement allow for the right muscles firing at the right time with the right amount of strength and endurance. This is all controlled by the nervous system. Good motor control is another aspect and is about how we execute a movement or task.
The brain is also influenced by past events, emotions, mood and sensations. These aspects feed into how the brain responds in any given moment. Movements and emotions are related to each other.
For movement to be easy, efficient and feel good, we need to do the following. Pay full attention to what we are doing and perform movements with awareness and intention. Learn to listen to our bodies. Learn to move with precision. Visualization can make changes within the brain that can allow for better range and quality of motion. Use movements that have functional relevance to activities of life. Consider improved postural alignment which will allow automatic engagement of the core. Repetition allows for the changes to become more permanent. Avoid pain, fear, or any threat that might affect the brains response. Learn to relax to allow the movement to happen more freely.
As you take the time to train and work out, or to rehab from injuries and get back to doing what you love, please consider all these aspects of movement. This will enable the amazing and ever changing brain to improve the efficiency and ease of movement allowing you to function more optimally.
No matter how old we are or how far along we are with our recovery from injury we all have the potential to make changes in our nervous system to allow for improved function, improved performance and a better quality of life.
For further information go to www.alisonpalmerpt.com or to schedule an appointment please contact Alison Palmer at Alison Palmer Physical Therapy and Wellness Center 728 1135. We are located in the Cimarron Lodge at the bottom of lift 7. Wellness is the full integration of mind, body and spirit. We look forward to helping you towards a healthier life.