Pain is inconvenient
and enables us from doing what we love to do but it has a value and serves as a
warning sign that something is wrong within our body. Most people use pain as the only indicator of
when something needs to be evaluated by a specialist. Waiting for pain to happen is not the best indicator
because it is often the last symptom to show up and the first to leave when something
has gone wrong. The intent of this article
is to make you aware that a movement analysis by a trained professional can
identify problems within the musculoskeletal system before symptoms of pain
occur.
Professional
athletic teams have been using functional movement testing to discover if their
athletes have any biomechanical imbalances or potential for injury even in the
absence of pain. Because pain is
subjective (different to each person) it cannot be measured very accurately and
is not the best indicator that something is wrong. A thorough movement examination is objective
and can be measured which makes it one of the best ways to predict and prevent
injuries. The goal of a good movement
examination is to discover asymmetrical movement patterns and the lack of a tissues
ability to stretch (tissue extensibility).
With the
knowledge of an athlete’s movement imbalances the athletic training staff will
develop a fitness program and a therapeutic plan with the goal of improving that
athlete’s weaknesses. By acknowledging
weaknesses and working to improve them you can reduce the risk of injury and
enhance your athletic performance in any sport.
Non athletes can also benefit from a movement examination and a specific
fitness and therapeutic plan because it will preserve the musculoskeletal
system and slow the process of degeneration.
Not knowing your movement imbalances and setting up a training program
is like going into a battle without any plan of how you are going to succeed.
Most non traumatic athletic injuries
are due to the repetitive overuse and strain of synergistic muscles asked to
perform a task they cannot tolerate for prolonged periods of time.
If muscles
are not able to lengthen properly than synergistic muscles will strongly assist
the desired movement. This assistance is
known as synergistic dominance or compensating movement patterns. Movement compensations increase the risk of
injury to synergistic muscles because they become overused and strained. Movement compensations decrease athletic
performance as well as place athletes at a higher risk of injury. Functional movement testing identifies
movement compensations so a plan can be developed to correct them and avoid
musculoskeletal injuries. If you have a
functional movement analysis and implement the information into your fitness
and therapy plan you can improve your athletic performance and avoid injuries
before they happen. It is important to
find a therapist in your area who specializes in functional movement analysis
and effective musculoskeletal therapies.
With their help you can avoid injuries and move as effortless and
efficient as possible.
Dr. Todd
Rodman, DC CSCS
