How do you think of your body?

Do you think of your body in mechanical terms?  Parts wear out but with the wonders of medical science the parts can be replaced.   So you work hard and play hard.  You may be concerned about blood pressure and cholesterol, but if you get aches and pains, it is just an indication that the body is wearing out.   That is certainly what most doctors will say “It’s your age”.

Have you ever wondered why some parts (such as joints) wear out?  If the body is designed to move, why should it be wearing out?  To blame it on age is an easy cop out.

I would like to suggest that one of the reasons that joints wear out is related to the way you move or even don’t move!  In short, the way you use them!

The way in which you move may not be “optimal”.  This doesn’t mean the problem is genetic.  The way you move could be due to bad habits, poor posture, to a previous injury, or it could be structural. 

There are many ways to move a given joint.  As an example, look at the knee for instance.  It is described as a hinge joint so it can only bend and straighten.  Seems simple but did you know that there are at least five muscle groups that cross the knee?  Can you appreciate that with this many muscle groups crossing the knee, a slight difference in tension in one of the muscles/groups will affect how the joint moves?   The knee will still work but the pressure through the joint may be greater than it needs to be.  Over time, this will change the joint and result in pain.  This does not mean that you need a knee replacement.  If the tension in the muscles crossing the joint was eased*, the way the joint moves will change, and what you feel will also change!  

How you think of your body affects how you treat it.  So how do you think of your body?  I would like to know.

*to ease muscle try massage

photo credit: HidingHeart via photo pin cc