![]() Watching how someone moves is the foundation for diagnosing what is wrong. Most approaches prescribe exercises based on the location of the pain. This may seem right, but to have lasting results, we must address the underlying movement patterns causing the discomfort. By movement patterns, we mean everyday activities, the way we sit, the way we stand, and (most importantly) the way we walk. Both strong and weak components are evident by how we move. A walk favoring one side will build up that side, while making the other side weaker. This lop-sidedness might be seen in the back and legs, even in the muscle-mass of those parts. If someone holds an arm and shoulder up high when they walk, this would cause shoulder and neck stress, as well as stress for the heart. Everyone has weaknesses. By weaknesses, I mean sooner or later something will go wrong and cause problems in health. Health problems built up by weaknesses will be different for different people. They might come out as back pain for someone. They might come out as headaches, fatigue, or pain in the side for someone else. At any rate, built up weaknesses will come out as a limit to activity or to energy in some physical way. Those limits are developing now, even if we are not aware of them. Imbalances in movement from years of bad movement habits cause certain weaknesses. Exercises that address these weaknesses and bring about change in the movement may not completely bring the body around to the place it ought to be. Nevertheless, such exercises targeting the weaknesses may prevent the body from getting worse and creating greater problems. Such effort can even bring about complete relief from pain. Observing one’s walk will reveal a large number of problems. For example, a tight arm swing or little arm swing will reveal a tense shoulder. If the shoulders are uneven, or there is a slight tilt of the head, this results in a weak shoulder. Dipping to one side after the foot has landed produces a kind of cross-lateral torque. The above bad movement habits may not seem that important, but they can lead to problems later on. These problems could take the form of bursitis, neck pain, or heart problems. Such problems may seem dormant now, although effects like stress, fatigue, or less body function might be felt now. These might be considered subtle but important limitations. The big point to appreciate is that weakness is revealed in everyday movement. Our everyday movement patterns, particularly the ways we move that are not in alignment, will reveal both current and potential health problems. For example, a heart problem is usually only experienced when a person is older and has difficulties. However, the potential for such health problems is shown now by one’s everyday movement patterns. If you could prevent serious health problems from occurring in the future, would you at least try the exercises? I would hope the answer to that is clear. For help in selecting the best exercises for you, schedule a 1-1 coaching session at www.painalleviated.com
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![]() Any exercise affects some muscles more than others. The idea we are talking about here is that pain is caused by body imbalances. Thus, the best exercises are those that strengthen weak areas. Consider the single-hand push-up against the wall. For this exercise, you stand about two feet from the wall, and put one hand on the wall. Bend and straighten the arm. The exercise will strengthen the shoulder, arm, and side of the upper back. Next, consider the dumbbell swing. Here the person takes a five or ten-pound dumbbell in one hand and swings it from below up to the chest. The exercise will lower the given shoulder. Part of my Dad’s problem that he sought Bernie’s help for, was a muscle imbalance of the shoulders. He had a tense and over-developed right shoulder, and a weak and lower left shoulder. To correct this imbalance, Bernie prescribed single-hand dumbbell swings for the right shoulder, and single-hand push-ups against the wall for the left shoulder. Similarly, my Dad’s left leg was noticeably weaker than his right leg. Single leg hops and single knee bends strengthen a weak leg. So, he does those exercises for his left leg. However, his right leg is more tense, and stiff. So, when he stretches by doing forward bends, he spends more time over his right leg. In both cases of the legs, it is obvious which side needs work. For the single-leg hops and single knee bends, the left side will be harder. The goal is to make the weak side equal to the strong side. Often it is clear there is an imbalance between the sides. One knee may be weak, one shoulder is painful, one leg may not be as strong as the other, or one arm may not reach as well as the other. It is important that this problem not become worse, so exercise to correct the situation if possible. Suppose one knee is weak or painful if moved the wrong way. The goal is to find the exercise that corrects the everyday movement pattern that is causing the situation. Perhaps the foot is turned out, or the step is not pushing the knee to hold forward. Or maybe the knee is caving inward. There is no need to exercise the other knee. Work on the problem knee. It is that one that will limit you. For more information on exercising to improve weaknesses, visit www.painalleviated.com |