Sunday, September 10, 2006

In and Out

The longer you are "out" of balance, from either pain syndromes, length tension imbalances or orthopedic restrictions, the more it starts to see normal. It may be out of a normative "balance" but it is your balance and there it is.

I have always said give me a pain that I know over a new pain anyday. New pains in new and different places scare me much more than the same old knee, SI, rotator stuff. That being said I wonder what actually removing the restrictions does to the old "norm" now that its closer to plumb? New and different "noise" from muscles that havent been "awake" and firing in a very long time? I wonder.

As my left leg tracks more correctly and my knee bends better I am using my right leg in a different way than usual and my hallucis longis is talking to me. Actually I think the calcaneous is just not sitting right. I have to track it down and I think its the soleous/peroneals more than the hallucis itself. problem is seemingly NEVER where the pain is.

9 comments:

Franz Snideman said...

Rif,

great post. The body is very intelligent and will adapt and create new ways of compensating when bio-mechanical problems are present. Here's my oppinion:

1) I don't think anyone is totally balances (speaking of posturem alignment, muscle balance,etc). I have knowm athletes with horrible posture and had no pain, no injuries, and great performance, ?On the contrary I have known athletes who are strong, with great flexibility and good posture and who are always injured. Now of course it is better to have good posture and good alignment, but it's not always so black and white.

2)Charlie Francis talks about some of his athletes who had weird postural imbalances. When he sent them to the Physio and they tried to "correct" their imbalances, they performed worse and had pain. Sometimes it's better to leave things alone.

Mark Reifkind said...

one thing to remember franz, age makes a BIG difference. go back and talk to those athletes after they pass 35 and see how they are holding up. I could still sprint at age 35 and had considerably less pain until it caught up with me.

Geoff Neupert said...

my 2 cents...

Pain isn't always where the problem is, only a symptom. Pain is the subconscious telling/yelling the conscious something is wrong.

Posture, is neurological first, then tissue related second. I've seen this and experienced this both with my clients and with myself. If joints work incorrectly, then the muscles surrounding them will work incorrectly. Here come's Davis' Law: Tissues model along lines of stress. Change the stress, remodel the tissue.

Therefore, it is possible to feel other "noise" in the body from muscles waking up (or something worse) after tweakin your gait.

And I don't think I really want to pass 35...33 has been quite enough, thank you.

Mark Reifkind said...

geoff, I am just really getting this and if Z works as well as you say it does to reposition the joints then things will get much easier much faster.

and I do think I am feeling more noise from other parts waking up. not all that much fun, but nowhere near as much fun as turning 40 or gasp, 50-.

Tom Furman said...

I am very interested in this stuff and I will be taking the Z-Health Cert. when time and funds are optimum. Given the scenario of aging injures and injury ages, I learned alot from one of my martial arts instructors about self care. Dr. Maung Gyi has a strong restorative form of Yoga with Staffs and Sticks, that rehabs the body. I will be delving into this and some Indonesian Yoga this year as well.

Tom Furman said...

And by the way Mark, you should have passed on being the stunt double for Tony Jaa in "The Protector" this last time. I mean Tony was in his trailer sipping a cool Vodka when you kicked the guy off the helicopter ;-))

Mark Reifkind said...

geoff I really like that phrase

"If joints work incorrectly, then the muscles surrounding them will work incorrectly.'

And vice versa(?).I am pretty unique in this in that I have so much extensiove actuall joint damage. thats why I need so much massage and foam rollering. YEARS of built up adesions trying keep together a for shit blown out knee and shoulder.

but I cant wait to see the processes to alter my posture neurologically. what potential that has for healing!

tom I wish dude, I wish.

Franz Snideman said...

Well Rif, I was born with a short leg (as identified by x-ray) and the only thing that keeps me out of pain is not over doing it and making wise decisions with my exercise and lifestyle. Consequently I have managed to totally abuse my body and not listen to it. Structural issues are a different creature and one must decide which movement is truly their goal because all movement can potentially cause damage to a person with structural issues. My problem has been lifting too often, too much, too soon. That would hurt anyone!!!

Mark Reifkind said...

yes franz, I am very particular in what movements I will and wont do anymore. If it doesnt contribute to better function,no matter how much fun it is, or how good I am at it( or want to be) it's gone!

135-175-165 Press, two hand swings 16-32 kg , laterals rear delts

 Everythings been perfect  but some time between 4 am an 11:30 my tricep started to tighten just a bit, for no damn good reason of course Bu...