CONNECT:April 29, 2013

Back to Basics

Did you ever hear someone say "It's all about the fundamentals"? It's a concept we hear in many places, from the world of sports where coaches so often are pushing their teams to execute "the basics" with precision, to the world of economics where analysts rate a particular stock a "buy" because their fundamentals are good. It's based on the sound logic that only when you have the basics down perfectly, is it possible to move on to the details where "the little things" live.  So what are the prevention basics?  Are you getting them right? Or are you trying to build your fortress on unstable ground?  If you haven't thought about them in a while, now's a great time to do so.  The weather is getting better day by day, which for many people means more physical exertion at work or home and with a little effort now, you can be sure to have a great summer despite the unique trials it brings. And whereas this is not an exhaustive list, here are some of the absolute key principles of prevention:

Warm-up well:  This one has gotten a lot of attention lately as more and more groups are seeing the benefits in a daily warm-up.  Every athlete knows how important this is and most people understand that giving an engine time to warm-up before pushing it to its limits is probably a good thing.  The same is true for the body.  Get some blood flowing, prime the body and mind for action and maximize the elasticity of the working tissues.  It's a simple concept, but if you want to be successful, there are definitely some specifics to consider.  Whenever you are ready, we're here to help.

Find the sweet-spot:  Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.  Even really good things like exercise can become overuse injuries if not properly balanced and cycled.  This is of CRITICAL importance.  The human body is not a weak machine, not by a long shot.  It can be pushed hard and it will respond; over time it will even get stronger.  However we do need to balance the "push" with recovery.  Getting high quality (and enough) rest is hugely important.  Knowing and not pushing beyond your limits is equally important.  At some point tissues will fail even in the strongest and fittest folks, but both sides of the balance play a role.  Too much rest (sedentary postures) for example will speed this up just as easily as not enough rest (overuse) will.  The easiest way to know your limits is to listen to your body.  Soreness and discomfort are great warning systems.  They often don't signify true injury, but they tell you things are a bit out of balance and need to be addressed.  This might be as simple as a few stretches, or a couple of complementary exercises to what you're already doing.  It might mean you need to back off the intensity some, or speed it up.  If you find it difficult to understand what your body is telling you, remember we're here to help whenever you're ready for us.

The Magic of Self-care: This goes along with the paragraph above, but it deserves its own mention.  Self-care, which can sometimes be thought of as "machine maintenance" is big.  For a machine to work correctly on the long term, most would agree there are systems that need special attention - the cooling system for example has to be working well so the machine doesn't overheat, the oil is clean and available so the moving parts don't seize and the engine has enough gasoline and can use it efficiently to turn chemical energy into "work" (force, motion, etc.).  Is this so unlike the body?  Are we paying attention to our gauges each day?  Are we cooling the system when it shows signs overheating?  Are we putting enough good fuel in?  Are we using it efficiently? You get the point.   

A couple of self-care tips that can help:  

Low inflammation diets - there's a reason why we keep hammering you with advice about eating fruits and veggies as a big part of your diet (actually, there are many reasons).  One really important reason is that foods that are heavy-calorie or highly processed promote inflammation, which at a low but chronic exposure can delay healing and correlate with disease.  

Ice - when you've over-done some, a well-placed bag of ice can go a long way.  Think about many athletes.  They're not waiting for an injury, they're using ice every day as a prevention strategy.  A bag of frozen peas can work magic if you have a body area that gets a lot of work and risks overuse. 15-20 minutes (not directly on the skin of course) will speed recovery.

Movement - This one seems obvious, but it's not always.  Keep in mind that many of the postures we work in are similar day in and day out.  Also keep in mind that we could be sustaining that posture for a long time.  This is particularly important for someone who sits a lot or drives long distances.  The body relies on movement for many of its proper functions, including blood flow to/from working tissues, to keep the joints and soft tissues well lubricated and supple and even aid digestion.  Be mindful here.  If you're not moving enough, find a way to do so.  Even marching in place can do something.  Your body (and mind) need it.

There are many more specific tactics you can use to get the most out of your health for the longest period possible, and of course we'll keep them in front of you any time we cross paths, but these are an excellent start.  Reply back with questions if you have them or would like more detail.      

Have a great week,

Mike E.