Balance - Don’t lose yours!

Do you have trouble keeping your balance, be it in sport or just general day to day movement?  You may be experiencing muscular imbalance.

Muscular imbalance can be a predisposing factor in instability in dynamic and static posture. The consequences can lead to not reaching your optimal performance in executing a skill, or commonly seen today pain or stress in your ankles, knees, hips, spine or shoulders.

We’ve all heard or have even said ourselves “I have one leg shorter than the other” There are two categories this can fall under: Structural (being born this way or having a structural component altered by means of surgical intervention) or Functional (a result of a movement pattern that has been adapted to suit your environment). Many of us due to our lifestyle fall under the second category.

The more important thing here is to understand what is happening within our body mechanically and how it can affect us in the short and long term. I’m not only talking about the above mentioned activities, but in all our day to day motions at work rest and play.

So what (dys)functional factors can lead to muscular imbalance?

1. Under-activation of our core muscle group

2. Prolonged repetitive movement e.g. Typing at your computer

3. A tendency to lean on one leg instead of standing equally on two

4. Infrequent stretching to allow for overall flexibility

5. Improper technique when performing a skill

6. Any type of injury that has lead to prolonged rest or a change in your natural movement

7. Repetitive lifting i.e. shopping, heavy objects at work, using one arm instead of two.

8. Conditioning only the same muscle groups at the gym e.g. only doing push-ups, bicep-curls or bench-press and not doing any exercise for your back. Or only exercising for your upper body and not your lower body. This could be why you experience back pain.

When our body begins to experience imbalance; changes in strength, endurance, power and quality of movement (to name a few) occur.  All of these qualities can affect your ability to simply balance in your sport or day to day movement. Without balance, all of these qualities mean nothing.  Certain muscles may shorten and thicken, causing their opposing muscles to forcefully lengthen in an attempt to counteract the changes happening in your body. As you feel the symptoms kicking in it then becomes a vicious cycle between the two muscle groups until something is done to help it.

One of the key symptoms that may help you recognise muscular imbalance is that you may always be feeling tension or pain in the same muscles. 

Massage therapy can help release these tense and painful areas to help restore balance in your body.  It will address your posture and movement patterns and design an effective treatment for you. If it’s been a while or you’ve never had a massage treatment let me work with you to help improve your ability to balance. Call 02 92 333 800 and ask for Ricky or email me: ricky@backonyourfeet.com.au