Hey Everyone
I hope you and your families are safe and well during this time.
I have reflected on many things over the last 5 weeks and on how I can still be of service to you all while the clinic stays closed for face to face appointments.
One of the highlights has been this unexpected weather front that we have had and venturing out into nature for our afternoon walks has been a real blessing.
It’s been so refreshing seeing families either out on their bikes or walkers and runners getting their one hour of exercise in. I know that I physically and mentally feel more energised afterwards.
During our walks I couldn’t help but focus on the running community around here and love that people who have not necessarily run for a good while, have taken the plunge to put on their trainers and give it a go.
With so many different running styles and tempos out there, we ultimately know that the gait cycle takes 0.6-0.8 seconds to complete and within that time we hope that every joint is experiencing a 3-dimensional movement. So, when some runners over time start to pick up non traumatic injuries, we need to have a deeper understanding of why this may happen
I believe some of the key factors when I assess runners and their gait are:
1: A lack of movement variability in the way their bodies move.
2: Moving around and compensating for old injuries or surgery they have had in the past
3: A lack of awareness and ability to control motion and the ground reaction forces while challenging their base of support.
Though there are other factors, if we address these then we tend to have a runner that now has a greater level of efficiency for their running style which often translates to less injuries.
So, I would like to set you a challenge over a 7-day period to work on some of these variables. While the clinic is closed, I really hope some of these movements that you put into your joints and tissues will help you with any underlying problems that you may be having while you hit the roads.
At the bottom of the page are links to videos that I have filmed that progressively go through the 3 key principles that I work on with a client in clinic.
1: A good range of motion in our joints during the gait cycle
2: A level of stability and balance in our joints to control the motion during the gait cycle
3: Variability in our joint movement in 3 planes of motion during the gait cycle
I have tried to keep it as simple of possible.
1: Perform 20 repetitions in each direction that I move in (including the hand varaibales)
2: Perform them before or after your run.
3: Repeat twice a day.
I don’t care if you are a novice or seasoned runner, give them a go as they will cover all the joint movements that your body will experience in the gait cycle. They start with mobility and progressively work on the stability while giving you joint motion variability in 3 planes of motion
If you find that while you do them that you sense a difference in the quantity and quality of your movement from one side to the other, then don’t worry. This is quite common and could be related to how your body may have adapted to an old injury and how you are now moving around that old problem. Its also great for you to experience these difference so you can start to connect the dots of my an area of your body might start complaining.
I would like you to e mail me in you get pain with some of these movement so I can try to help you tweak them to help benefit you.
Most importantly though I would like you to take 2 things away from this exercise.
1: A new awareness of how your body moves well or not so well
2: A sense of your running efficiency at the end of these 7 days.
You may feel neither of these two outcomes and that is totally fine but be rest assured that you have on some level moved your joints into spaces and challenged your base of support in ways that they may have never experience before.
I believe quality movement variability goes way beyond just function and running efficiency though. It is health!
For healing to occur based on physiological properties we need a harmony in our circulatory systems (arteries, veins and lymphatic system). That last system is our immune system and unlike the other two systems, it moves fluids and immune cells around our body without the assistance of valves. Any stagnation in how the lymphatic system functions will have an indirect affect on our health. Pretty important in the current climate I would say!
“The rule of the artery must be absolute, universal and unobstructed or disease will be the result” – AT Still – Founder of Osteopathy
Motion is Lotion guys!
Have fun with these guys and I look forward to hearing from you if you have any questions that concern you.
Stay safe n well.
Mario
Day 1 – https://youtu.be/ZnPWuOxepKY
Day 2 – https://youtu.be/5LgQfgUL4mk
Day 3 – https://youtu.be/n74ICFq7Lsg
Day 4 – https://youtu.be/G8-o04IhCF4
Day 5 – https://youtu.be/qeusYIRro-A
Day 6 – https://youtu.be/3YuoY9UtX8I
Day 7 – https://youtu.be/ko-aFQCTj24
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