Movement Myth 2: I’m Getting Old and Everything Hurts!

Movement is so important to maintaining or improving our health!

However, our brains are filled with stories of why we are limited to the way we are. This series will discuss common myths and the micromovement counter-perspective.

This week’s myth is about aging, and ease of movement when we’re older.

Movement Myth: “It must be because I’m getting older.”

There are many expressions and stories we use to explain our aches, pains, and movement challenges as we age.

Medical professionals add to the mythology. At the Bridging® Institute, we hear many stories of physicians suggesting that pain or stiffness is what to expect as a person gets older.

NO — this is not true!

Reasons why it’s important to stay active as we age

Research from Spain on the effects of exercise and aging shows that many musculoskeletal concerns are helped by movement and resistance exercise. These include:

• tendon and ligament health
• fat distribution
• knee and joint fluids
• back pain, even when disc issues are present

Furthermore, there are many metabolic and general health reasons to stay active:

• glucose and insulin regulation
• balance stability
• bone health
• brain health

What really is going on when we play the “Age” card?

From a Bridging® perspective, there are a couple ways to look at movement and age.

• Are our muscles working properly? If not, this creates stress and strain manifesting as both pain and stiffness
• Are we staying active and strong? Our muscles and bones are only as good as how we use them. Movement breaks throughout the day, and lifting heavy things, are both elements of keeping strong and agile.

It’s not just age behind the aching mucles and creaking bones. Each phase of our lives takes a toll on our muscles’ ability to function well. Some reasons, other than age, for the decline in function include:

• Lives are so busy! When the busyness of our 30s and 40s gives way to our 50s, we have more aches and pains. Is this really because we put ourselves behind work and family in priority? Building muscle and bone mass is like making regular 401k contributions for staying active!
• Hidden effects of surgeries, treatments for cancer, or autoimmune conditions. We don’t feel well when something happens to our health. We stop being active and begin losing muscle mass. It disappears by the day!
• Lasting or hidden effects of injuries and accidents. These throw off subtle movement transitions and symmetry resulting in stress and diminished coordination or strength. Exercise alone doesn’t reset foundational body micromovements that have been disturbed.

You can reverse the losses!

Now is the time to add exercising to strengthen your muscles and rebuild your endurance.

With some Bridging® help your symmetry and flow of movement returns. Your muscles are reset allowing them to work almost-like factory-original.

Your movement transitions are easier and feel more secure. This is what allows you to exercise and move with ease once again.

Your balance and strength improve as you’re able to be more active. These each support that youthful feeling of spring in your step!

You CAN be more active, and not give in to age slowing you down!

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Story of the Week from Cara

Rachel’s pain: age or the fall?

“Eight weeks ago, I didn’t want anyone to see me. (I felt like I looked so old!) Now, I feel like I’m living my best life at age 67.”

Rachel H, after four sessions to help pain following a bad fall.

In this week’s video interview, we meet Rachel. She shares her perspectives of how Bridging® has helped her family, and most recently, herself when she had an incident with her dog. He’s a big guy at 162 pounds, and inadvertently knocked her over a couple months ago.

Rachel had a variety of pains in her midsection and at her shoulder. Feeling all her years old and not wanting to be like this, she asked if Bridging® might help. Rachel was aware of Bridging® from the work that helped her son many years ago.

She came in for a session which was able to calm and center her body’s movements. There was more to do, so Rachel was back the following week. The fall seemed to also trigger pain related to many of her past injuries and surgeries.

What did we find? And how did Bridging® help? Hint: It was not related to her age!

What did we find?

Working with Bridging® Specialists Lynne, and then Becki, it was clear that the fall knocked her muscle relationships off center in a big way.

The effects of her knee replacements and prior back surgery also needed to be addressed to restore her balance reactions.

They each had a contribution to what led up to the fall, the extent of injuries and the level of pain.

How did Bridging® help?

First, Bridging® addressed the effects from her dog fall-related injuries. Related to her fall, we considered the direction of her fall and how she remembered landing.

Step-by-step we supported her movement relationships allowing her body to unwind the tensions and torques. We next used muscle resets to re-center her body.

“You know right away that the pain is gone, and something changed.”

What was done to help?

There are three steps to the process of getting your muscles back online and working together.

• Assess: We assess the foundational passive movement symmetry and flow which comprise your micromovements.
• Analyze: Create the context of the findings, details about the injury event, and construct the best path to reset your muscles.
• Muscle resets: Using the position of the injury to ‘rewind’ the set of events that disrupted groups of muscles, we then guide and gently remind the muscles how to work together.

How did she change?

At the start of the session Rachel was nearly crying in pain, and then the pain was gone. Then, there were tears of relief. It was wonderful to see!

“I now get out of the car and I’m standing up straight and tall. I’m picking up and playing with my newest granddaughter. I could not have handled doing this before.”

Can Bridging® help you?

You may think you are feeling your age, but really, chances are it’s that your muscles’ micromovements need a reset.

Once your muscles work fluently together, you will move more freely and feel younger.

It is not about age!