Ever considered what’s causing your injuries?
Your sport or your occupation?
What a great question!
If you give it some thought – in the context of just how much time you spend each day (and cumulatively, each week, month, year, etc.), being sat at your desk – we have to ask: is being sat in that hip-hinged position all day to blame for your back/hip/knee or ankle pain when you exercise?
It makes sense, doesn’t it? Our bodies are simply not designed to sit in a fixed position, all day, and when we do, our core stabilisers fatigue. Our large compound muscles like our glutes/hamstrings/etc. weaken, so when we exercise, we assume we’re using these muscles and strengthening them as a consequence of using them? Incorrect!!
In order to “strengthen” a muscle (for want of a better term), or to exercise without pain after being sat at a desk all day, we need to activate our muscles. Think of your deep core stabilisers, and other previously mentioned muscles, like a fuse board: if your fuses are switched off, you aren’t going to get much performance out of your muscles. We’re then going to build up a compensation pattern and, before you know it, you have knee pain or ankle pain!
It really has nothing to do with the knee or ankle... the culprit is the hip! Because the hip isn’t activating, it has blown a fuse! So, how do we get all our muscles firing? With some specific activation exercises!
When I worked at the football club, the lads would spend a full 30 minutes of doing pre-hab exercises before they started their training. This involved activating all their muscles, in order to stabilise them whilst they’re running. Spending 90 minutes running will mean that some of those muscles will eventually fatigue and switch back off again, so it’s learning to recognise and feel what’s happening to your body, to make sure you can perform at your optimum.
Remember, our bodies are not designed for this world. We’re not designed to sit all day or even sit at all… We’re designed to squat! So use the squat position as a reset button during the day when you’re at your desk. Get up, move, do some butt clenching exercises! Switch those fuses back on! And if you need an assessment to help you work out which muscles aren’t firing and what’s causing your pain, then get in touch with us and we will do an assessment and give you the right advice, according to YOUR body!
Not every “body” is the same so don’t rely on “Dr Google” to give you personal advice! Generic advice and generic rehabilitation exercises have their place, however, it’s important to know that you’re doing what’s right for your body, and the inherent movement patterns that you’ve developed as a consequence of your exercise, your occupation and your hobbies. At Intulo Health, we treat everyone as an individual, and we’ll get your body in the right place to be able to tackle any of the physical challenges that lie ahead in your exercise regime.
Yours in good health
Amanda
