When body movement and or exercise levels decline over time, so does function (sometimes blamed on age). Whereas what I find myself doing is over doing it when I have a burst of energy. Causing strains, sprains and apprehensions that alter muscle and joint function, moving one deftly toward a conclusion that I must be getting old – what else could it be…?
Because structure is intimately related to function, as use decreases the lesser demands on your muscles and joints lead to altered function. Where altered function persists or exists for long enough then structure also changes, eg we can now see the early start of disc disease on MRI (1) and how muscular imbalance can precede Osteoarthritis. Maintaining a healthy body is about the training effect, not over or under doing it. Incidentally, inflammation and infections are kept down by regular moderate exercise (2). Hitting your sweet spot of activity is easier when your body is working well. This is where Lee can help you to consider ideas other than age.
Within the body several ideas exist about pain,
- The problem is where the pain is
- Referred pain
- Interdependent pain
The idea of interdependence comes from Physiotherapy, however it is called dysfunction within Chiropractic. Dysfunction informs the clinician and the lay person of links in body function that surpass the standard approaches to muscle and joint pain. Understanding interdependent pain is like understanding that when a supply chain goes wrong the consequences are not where the failure along the supply chain occurred. In the body we have dysfunctional related parts that can distantly help or hinder healing. A healthy body, simply put, works together well within itself.
The Interdependence model (3) allows the clinician to go beyond the traditional, vague and sometimes misleading MSK diagnoses and demonstrate clinically how seemingly separate parts of the body are related in dysfunction. Having interdependent pain (dysfunction) is different to referred pain, and the traditional idea of where my pain is my problem is. Interdependent dysfunction is something Lee sees as very important in getting your body not only looser but working well together within it self – ‘Function Better Feel Better…’
Book your Consultation Here.
References:
- Matsumoto M et al (2012) Modic Changes in the cervical Spine. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 94-B No 5 678
- Gleeson M et al (2011) The Anti-inflammatory Effects of Exercise. Nature Reviews Immunology 11 607-615
- Sueki DG, Cleland JA, Wainner RS. A Regional Interdependence Model of Musculoskeletal Dysfunction: research, mechanisms, and clinical implications. J Man Manip Ther. 2013 May;21(2):90–102.