How do you start to overcome a physical limit or aging concern?
TREAT PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT AS A SKILL.
Have you ever taken a golf or tennis lessons to improve your game? Your teaching coach might start with having you change your grip, then teach you steps to practice a better way to serve or hit your backhand. Ever listen to a TV cooking guru and learn a new ingredient or way to improve a dish?
Similar principles apply for steps to improve your body. Except you’re fine-tuning and practicing how you move. Yes, initially it requires more attention and focus. But these small changes can really make a direct and long lasting difference!
Three years ago, Bill was an active 74 y/o who had been through a knee replacement and two rehabs. Problem was, he still found himself limited with walking distances.
“Every couple of hundred feet, I have to stop and sit because my knee bothers me. I used to enjoy taking daily walks. The pain pills don’t make that much of a difference, so I stopped taking them. It’s frustrating.”
I observed how Bill stood, when he was talking to me. More weight was on his non-operative leg and the foot on his operated leg was not aligned properly.
I watched how he walked, got out of a chair and climbed stairs – it was clear where to start.
First, we worked on how he stood. From his foot and knee position to where he felt his body weight on his feet, we worked on the parts of standing that needed the help. Everything we did together focused on getting those knee replacement muscles to work better, starting with the skill of standing, getting out of a chair, walking, then steps. Any ‘exercise’ he would practice was an actual component of one of the movement habits he was fine-tuning. This gives faster results. It made sense to Bill and he was all in, paying more attention and loyal to doing some regular practice.
He was fortunate, since he otherwise had a healthy working body; the walking limit for the past 3 years changed dramatically in just 3 weeks. And Bill continued to improve replacing his old movement habits with better ones for his body. Of course, walking is unlimited; no longer an issue.
IMPROVING YOUR STANDING HABIT
With Bill, we started with gaining better Standing habits – HOW IS YOUR STANDING?
Improvement occurs more quickly when you start to become more aware of what you do – here are some questions to get you thinking and to notice what YOU do.
When you normally stand:
How far apart are your feet?
Is more weight on 1 leg or is it evenly distributed; 50 - 50?
Are your knees locked or relaxed and straight?
[When you push your knees back – the joint is in a “locked” position]
Do you feel your body weight back toward your heels or more in the mid of front of your foot?
Are you aware if you keep yourself ‘strong’ in your upper torso – in other words, do you hold yourself ‘tight’ in your chest/shoulders?
Interested in less wear and tear on your leg & back joints and gaining stronger balance muscles? Fine tune this movement habit for yourself!
Steps to a healthier standing habit:
Feet are 4-6 inches apart
There are exceptions. If you are bow-legged, you’d spread your feet a little wider; if bowed in the 1 leg only then 1 or 1 ½ inch wider in that leg
In this position your body weight is distributed more evenly throughout hip & knee joints, reducing wear and tear on those joints when you move.
Even distribution weight on both legs
Important if you compensate toward standing more on 1 leg. It’s also a great way to strengthen the weaker leg to get stronger, while eliminating the overuse on the other leg.
Knees straight, but relaxed not locked
With awareness, people with flexible joints can learn this. The joints move when we move.
A “locked” knee position can’t move and increases injury risk to the knee and accelerates degenerative changes.
Weight back toward the heels
This is important! This position automatically makes both your leg and balance muscles work properly; this position also better protects the leg and back joints
If you feel like you’re falling backward, stand with your back close to a wall – with a sturdy chair in front. This is common since you are resetting your brain to a new normal. This feeling will change, with short bouts of frequent practice in as little as a week or two.
A little stretching in the back is ok – as long as it’s mild and stops, after you finish the steps. For some of you, your back is learning to assume a new position so it needs time to become more flexible.
A supple spine, especially the upper torso
A flexible spine is a critical part of gaining healthy posture – easy to accomplish in individual sessions w/ props and a relaxercise approach
For now, here are some simple ways to encourage an easier moving upper torso:
When standing, don’t hold yourself strong or tight; reduce unnecessary effort in your shoulders/ chest- it may feel like you’re rounding your shoulders. You are not.
Learn to extend your spine in sitting – use a pillow prop to lean back against to gently stretch your spine back. Do it in a relaxed way, for 5 seconds. If you feel some restriction or tightness do it 3-4x a day.
Learn to bend your spine in sitting, by “slouching.” This is not a position to stay in; rather you learning to relax your upper torso and chest so you break the pattern of “holding” yourself tight or rigid, when you stand.
If this standing habit had any challenges to it, practice it often; do a few minutes, 4-5x a day for the first week. Use grocery lines, tooth brushing, and other practical times to become more aware and practice this better standing habit. This way of integrating a new awareness makes it turn into a habit!
For many people this does not turn into a better habit in just a few days or even a week. Be patient – give your body the time to learn and make changes.
Also if you had some discomfort that limited your ability to do this, recognize that you may have to start with a different missing skill to your body’s improvement solution. Make sure not to make any change to your body that has real discomfort or moderate strain associated with it. Be kind to your body.
Sharon Duffey PT, FCP, is a Physical Improvement & Pain Relief Expert, founder of SmartBody. [www.smartbody50.com]
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