"Motion is the Lotion"

Do you sit at a desk all day you feel sore and tight, but after a short walk or a stretch, you feel better?

Have you ever felt stiff after a long car ride, and after you get out and move around you can keep going?

Do you feel like you need to stretch in the morning after sleeping?

Have you ever thought about why??

Does this answer come to mind?

"I'm getting older and this is just a normal part of aging."

If YES is your answer, click to watch this video of WWII Veteran Lester Young

running this race! WOW! And check out the winner!

What do you think these athletes think about the truth of the statement above?

Now, I'm not saying that even these athletes don't have some aches and pains. My point is that regardless of what kind of athlete you are, were, or want be, choosing MOVEMENT is the key to staying pain free so that you may enjoy your daily life!

Most people who have been active in their life, never intend to give up the activities they love. It starts one day when they wake up and feeling a little stiff and skip the morning workout because they have a long day at work ahead. A week later, they are cutting out 2 mornings a week from their daily exercise routine. A month later they are down to working out just 1 day a week. THEN, they "pull" something and take a month off to heal. Now 3 months in, they are sore after sitting at work all day and now we can't imagine that they are well enough to go back to working out.

A year later they look back and think, "Getting older sucks! I can't do what I used to do".

Does this really make sense? What else has changed in your life since you felt your best? Your activity level? Your weight? Your stress level?

Is it really your age? NO!

While our body does change as we age, many age related changes can be managed with proper nutrition, drinking lots of water, self care and exercise. Likely, the daily stiffness, pain, and irritation is related to a pattern where you are not MOVING and haven't prepared your body properly to be at your best.

We learn to accept that age is the reason for how we feel each day, instead of holding ourselves accountable for our inactivity. We have busy lives, we've been injured, we hurt..."

And you're not alone! Have you heard the saying that "sitting is the new smoking" in our society?

Every year 433,000 people die from issues related to sitting too much and inactivity (Rezende, Sa et al. 2016)

What can you do?

MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!!

MOTION IS THE LOTION!!

• increases blood flow to bring oxygen and healing to body tissues
• lubricates the joint surfaces
• decreases sensitivity of the tissues in the body
• decreases stress
• improves sleep
• increases adrenaline and other endorphins (feel good chemicals) in the body

Did you know?? **Running for 6 miles stimulates endorphin release equivalent to 10 mg of morphine (Janal, Colt et al, 1984). (FYI- that is way more morphine than you can get through medication safely!)

BUT it hurts to move...

You're right! Not everyone can run a race, exercise every day, or train for a marathon. But lets talk a little more about why it hurts to move.

Our brain is our alarm system in the body. It is wired to protect us from danger. Just like our home alarm, when someone breaks a window, the alarm goes off warning us of danger. The brain functions the same way when we have an injury or something that stresses or strains the body, making the brain alarm send us a pain signal to stop our movement.

After an injury, our alarm system (brain) can become sensitized to movement and will start giving off a "danger" alert more regularly for movements that wouldn't have been painful in the past. You can compare this to the alarm in your home now going off when a leaf floats in, vs someone breaking the window.

Your brain at this point starts to sense that any movement is danger for the body and gives you a pain signal with small movements. You move less to avoid pain, and suddenly can't move much at all. Essentially, the less we move, the more sensitive we are to movement and the more pain we will have.

So how do we calm down this alarm system?

MOVE!!

How do I get started moving?

Start small and progress slowly, but be consistent. If it has been a long time since you have been really active, then going back to the workouts you used to do 10 years ago will likely put you into a tail spin. Setbacks like this can be very frustrating and make you not want to continue.

Break down your goals. If your goal is to walk a mile, but you can only walk 1 block, that's fine! Break down tasks to into small pieces and work your way up. Start with what you can tolerate without pushing yourself too far! Remember that sore can be safe and doesn't always mean harm. In fact, sore can be beneficial for your body. As you move, your nervous system begins to calm over time and the brain will decrease the pain signal it sends with movement.

Find a friend to move with you. Holding yourself accountable is hard. Having a friend to exercise with or signing up for a class can help you stick with it.

If you don't like to walk, there are so many options! Try Yoga, Pilates, Barre, Swimming, Biking, or whatever you enjoy!

FYI- Many people achieve pain relief and improved quality of life from walking 4-5 days per week for 20 min at a moderate pace.

I still need help, what do I do?

If you want to move and get back to activity, but you are concerned about injuring yourself or you feel too painful to get started, then seek the advice of a Physical Therapist or other Medical Professional.

Physical Therapists are Doctoral trained movement experts that can diagnose and treat your musculoskeletal pain and injuries. At MyPT, Dr. Shana Blackman can help you figure out what is holding you back from moving and guide you back to a pain free active life.

*If you are currently being treated for other medical conditions, then seek advice from your Doctor before starting any new exercise program to make sure that you are healthy enough for activity.

Dr. Blackman is happy to discuss what options might be best for you. Contact MyPT for more information. Click on the link below to schedule an appointment, or visit MyPT.

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