Holly, who when 53, rang me in a state of utter frustration and despondency. “I’m missing out on life because of my pain” she began. “I’ve tried physios, chiropractors, yoga and personal trainers. Nothing’s worked for me, at least not for any length of time. I’m dreading getting older and what my life will be like then. A friend told me you’re the one who CAN help. Show me how!”
So I did.
I understood her frustration and despondency. I’ve been there myself, only I was in my 20’s AND a qualified physiotherapist!
Holly’s now several years older. She stills reaches out to me from time to time, to thank me and update me on the active, fulfilled life she continues to enjoy.
Your body like Holly’s, is specifically designed to move freely. Moving freely enables you to be strong, dextrous and resilient. Your ancestors moved like this, before industrialisation redirected the way the world now moves, by virtue of the way we now live.
The world has never been so busy not moving.
When we do move, it’s predominantly reaching and bending forwards and down. Take a moment to consider ‘a side on glance’ of the position your body is in through your day. For example; when you sit, Zoom, drive, chop your veggies, garden, text, craft, vacuum, cycle….and so the list goes on….
Of course we are designed to move in these directions. HOWEVER what we rarely do is counter balance this repetition with reaching our arms, spine and legs outwards, upwards and backwards.
These lengthening, opening and replenishing movements offload the areas that are constantly working. This is ‘downtime’ for those muscles and joints. Downtime, however brief, reduces the otherwise repeated drain and strain placed on your body. This in turn lessens the likelihood of pain, weakness and stiffness occurring.
Take a peek at this short video for some examples:
So how did this help Holly?
Unravelling how life dictates the way you move and use your body, is where it begins. So Holly and I began the unravelling. It offered Holly the opportunity to understand, recognised and FEEL exactly what it is she was either inadvertently doing to herself AND advertently doing, but with good intentions. Both proved to be unhelpful at best and harmful at worsed.
We then began to re-ravel her life and how she moved within it.
She understood and learnt how to move with confidence, intention and purpose. She recognised the value in the way she aligned, breathed and moved her whole body as one interconnecting entity. She could feel and engage the muscles and joints that offloaded the over loaded areas, that caused her pain.
This re-ravelling is a concept I have devised, called Simply Move!™
Seeking treatment, working through your list of exercises every day, as well as your regular yoga or pilates practice, is invaluable. However, it is NOT ENOUGH to undo the ill effects of ignoring how you use and move your body, in EVERYTHING ELSE you do.
So Holly now tunes in, connects and engages with her whole body throughout her day. In doing so her muscles are stronger, her joints are more flexible and the more confident she is, in how she moves and uses her body. With this, the magic has happened…
She is no longer missing out on life. She is living her life again.
Holly’s active, fulfilled life is sustained with confident movements that feel right, feel nourishing and replenishing, feel like she is well and truly in tune with giving her body what it needs, as an integral part of her life.
She can now Simply Move!™
And so can you.
Simply Move!™ is woven into all aspects of my physiotherapy practice. If you wish to get back to living YOUR life, click below to find a Simply Move!™ option to suit you:
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Change is possible and hope is real.
