Do you ever wake up in the morning and take a while to get your body moving? Maybe you struggle to get out of a chair, but then find after a few steps you can move again. All these little quirks aren’t because there’s necessarily something wrong – it’s because we haven’t moved. The body wants and needs to move!
Every day, I see clients whose problems are due to a lack of mobility and exercise. The human body is a remarkably complex thing but on a basic level, it’s a biological machine that needs regular movement to keep it working well.
The benefits of moving your body
Many of our joints are self-lubricating, so if they don’t move, they ‘dry up’ and become stiffer to mobilise as if they were un-oiled hinges.
Being in one position can also cause excessive over strain in certain areas. Prolonged sitting leads to low back injury due to the tension placed on the lumbar discs and ligaments.
Standing up and moving allows the spine to realign itself and lubricate the spinal joints again. Lack of mobility also results in muscle weakness, exacerbating strain on the spine and joints.
Even the heart is aided by moving, as contraction of the calf muscles pushes the blood back to towards it.
Modern life often means we spend a lot of time not moving. Commuting to work, sitting in the office chair, playing computer games or watching TV for example.
Whenever possible, make the choice to move:
- Park your car further away from work to get a walk into your day
- Set your alarm every 20 minutes to get up, move around or stretch
- Pop out for a walk during your working day
These are simple things you could do every day, that will benefit you no end.
At the weekend, try and be more adventurous with a longer walk, go to the gym, do some Pilates or yoga, a dance class or bike ride…anything that gets you on the move.
Believe me, your body will thank you!