Lack of mobility and poor movement patterns are a huge contributor to pain and injury and if we want to get out of pain and stay out of pain it’s of huge importance to optimise this.
If we want to increase the useable range we have within a joint or multiple joints there are a few steps that need to be taken to do this optimally and to make sure this range stays as part of our normal function.
We first need to create change at the level of the joint capsule - within a joint capsule we have sensory mechanoreceptors which basically respond to mechanical pressure change within a joint and have an ongoing signal to muscles that directly influence that joints function. When a joint is functioning optimally the signal that these receptors send to the surrounding muscles can change and they can function better straight away.
Sometimes we also need to undergo soft tissue (muscle and tendon) strategies - within a muscle fibre we have many individual muscles cells (sarcomeres) within each sarcomere we have motor proteins called actin and myosin that work together with multiple other contributors to create a muscle contraction. Muscles have “sweet spot” where the length-tension relationship between actin and myosin is optimal - yet muscles can become tight, weak and ischaemic and if this is the case we may need to implement a soft tissue strategy to optimise the function of the specific muscles requiring this.
The next part of mobility is we need to load the joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons and build strength / nervous system input within the new range we have created. We need to build movement patterns that now use this range so it continues to be used and stays there long term.
SUMMARY:
NO 1 - Start at the level of the joint, if the joint doesn’t function properly it makes things very difficult.
NO 2 - Next focus on optimising the specific muscles that need work to further optimise the joint function.
NO 3 - Finally load the new range and build motor patters to support long term change.
Want help with optimising your mobility, joint function, movement patterns and getting out of pain plus staying out of pain - reach out to me and let’s build out the best version of you 💪
0428912060
yonah@customhealthcoaching.com