We take our vehicle for routine maintenance to make sure it’s running optimally, yet most do not do the same for their body!
Like our vehicles, the body needs routine tune-ups to move and perform optimally. Our lifestyle habits, daily activities, and even genetic predispositions can all create imbalances in the body. Over time, this can lead to dysfunctional movement patterns, compensations, and eventually injury. The bio-mechanics of the body work as a kinetic chain- If one link in the chain is dysfunctional it affects the alignment and optimal movement pattern throughout the entire chain which has compounding negative effects. Corrective exercise helps align the links in the kinetic chain for optimal movement which alleviates many common chronic joint and muscular issues that cause pain, leading to overall better performance.
Some common dysfunctional movement patterns of compensation include:
- Pronation Distortion Syndrome (feet flatten and excessively turn out)
- Valgus Knee (knees/femur internally rotate when squatting down)
- Quad Dominance/Glute Amnesia Syndrome (glute muscles weak/inhibited causing knees to push forward when squatting down)
- Posterior or Anterior Pelvic Tilt (hips rotate forward or backward causing spine misalignment and injury)
- Forward Head Posture/Rounded Shoulders (head and shoulders excessively in a forward position)
- Shoulder Impingement (sharp pain in shoulder joint when pulling up or raising arms overhead)
- IT Band Syndrome (chronic pain along outer side of thigh/knee)
- Lower Cross Syndrome (can be caused by excessive sitting where the hip flexor and low back erector muscles have become tight/overactive and the gluteus, hamstrings, and abdominal complex muscles have become weal/inhibited)
If you’re experiencing chronic pain, you likely have an underlying issue that is the culprit. Many people require some form of corrective exercise in their weekly or daily program, which can include inhibiting overactive muscles through soft tissue therapy and stretching, as well as activating/strengthening underactive/weak muscles to create better musculature balance throughout the body. You can join me on my YouTube channel to learn more about how movement is medicine!
Exercise programs should always start with corrective exercise followed by a progressive conditioning program to ensure safe progression. A movement and mobility assessment is always done for every individual with an appropriate conditioning program to follow.