How You Move Matters
How You Move Matters - Structure
Everything your body does, or doesn’t do, is for a reason.
The better you understand the rationale behind this, the easier it is to create a program that will enhance athletic performance and/or enhance health and vitality.
It is hardwired into our DNA that if the body receives what it needs, while blocking factors are reduced, if not eliminated, the overall function of the body will improve. The principle is really that simple. The challenge is understanding the needs of the individual.
While this fact applies to health as well as athletic performance, for the sake of this article, I am going to focus on the movement aspect of performance.
When it comes to movement and athleticism, there are generally three scenarios:
Move mechanically well and the human body is capable of amazing feats of athleticism.
Move poorly and not only does performance suffer but the risk of injury, both acute and chronic, goes through the roof.
The middle ground. You perform at a relatively high level, at least compared to the general public. But you also deal with chronic muscle and joint discomfort. Nothing diagnosable, it’s just annoying and doesn’t appear to get in the way of your current performance goals. Or does it?
I know, some of you may be saying, “I am not athletic”, or “I never did well in sports”. That’s okay. This information doesn’t only apply to feats of athleticism, it also applies to any activity that you may want to partake in on a regular basis.
Consider that everyone has the same body parts, the same bones, muscles, connective tissue, etc. And they are all organized in the same manner. You have the same parts that the most elite of athletes have. The ability to move, efficiently, effectively and as needed is built into your structure.
Saying all this, what I plan to do over a series of articles is explain not only why some people may move or perform better than others, but also how you can go about creating a physical environment which will allow you to move better than you currently do, to move with less or no pain. To perform activities that bring you joy and smile to your face.
I also have to say that there is no magic pill or one-size-fits-all plan and most of all, you have to participate in the process if you wish to reap the results. Remember the saying, everything your body does, or doesn’t do, is for a reason. We are going to uncover and discuss the reasons.
Structure Matters!
Your structure is as unique as your fingerprints. While everyone has fingerprints, each set is unique to the host. Those differences make a difference. Allow me to explain.
Differences in size, shape, length, etc. of structure impacts the mechanics of movement.
Everyone has a hip joint. Within that hip joint lies variations in structure. I will let the image speak for itself.
Look at the orientation of the ball on the end of the femur, one points more vertically, the other horizontally
The ball can be positioned more laterally or more anteriorly relative to the femur
Even the neck the ball rests upon can be shorter or longer.
Don’t even get me started on the variations within the pelvis where the femur attaches. Consider the differences in the child birth process between two similar sized women except one has narrow hips while the other wider. All these possible differences will impact how you move. Between these two individuals, do you believe they will both squat the same?
I will give you a hint...No! One may prefer a wider stance with legs/feet turned out, while the other keeps the legs within shoulder width. The structure may make a deep squat, where the hamstrings rest on the calf, physically impossible. The point is that structure matters. Some individuals have mechanics better suited for specific movement patterns and even activities than others.
Personally, I have relatively long arms for my height. Someone with a similar muscle structure and size with shorter arms will have greater leverage performing a pull up or a bench press. Regardless of how I train, they will always be at a mechanical advantage. Of course, if we fought each other, my extra reach would give me a mechanical advantage.
The same applies to connective tissue, the ligaments which attach muscles to bones. Long tendons typically mean shorter overall muscle length and smaller overall mass. Short tendons lead to larger muscle mass and increased leverage. Again, the image speaks for itself.
The images of elite bodybuilders shows how within a given sport significant variations in muscle development exist entirely due to structure. No matter how those athletes train, they can’t overcome a structural issue such as tendon length. They can merely make the best of their unique situation.
Structural differences & Injury Risk
Structure will also impact your likelihood for injury. Consider the fairly common ACL injury and its relationship to the Q-Angle.. The Q-Angle is the angle of femur as it intersects with a vertical line through the kneecap. Generally speaking, males have a smaller Q-Angle than Females. The reason is related to the shape and width of the pelvis. Within the female population you will find much variation. While a wider hip aids in childbirth, the relatively greater Q-Angle will increase the risk of an ACL injury.
The most common cause of ACL injuries is either an impact on the outside of the knee driving the knee inward or when running or changing direction, as the foot plants itself, the femur rotates inward relative to the lower leg. The knee does not like torque. Rotation within the knee joint beyond 10 degrees places great stress upon the ligaments helping hold the joint together. In particular, the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is at risk.
A major contributing factor for the increased risk of ACL injuries in Females, especially female athletes, is due to the Q-Angle. Males, in general, are structurally less likely to experience an ACL injury.
At this point I hope you can see that variations in structure are more common than not. This will play a tremendous role in the movement potential of the body. Within any given sport or activity, you will typically see similar body structures in the higher echelon athletes. The reason is simple, structure best suited to the activity. Of course there is much more involved. Structure may give a greater potential, but to manifest that potential you have to have the desire to reach it along with the proper coaching and training to develop that ability. And if you wish for longevity participating, you have to have a lifestyle that gives your body what it needs to excel while eliminating or at least reducing blocking factors. There are reasons so many promising athletes excel and then crash and burn within a year or two of peaking.
Conclusion
To keep this relatively brief; in regards to motion, structure matters. It is not the only variable, but it is significant. Regardless of desire, some individuals will excel due to structure, while others struggle. It is what it is. It is rarely a good idea to compare your own performance against someone else especially if they are at a mechanical advantage. Not saying you shouldn't use them for motivation, just be realistic.
The best advice I can give when it comes to movement is that you want to take advantage of your strengths. And very important, don’t ignore the weak links in the chain. Imbalance within the body will manifest itself. It is not a matter of if, rather when and how will it present. Often, it is the weak link in the chain that speaks first.
For example, if you have an elevated Q-Angle, it would be in your best interest to develop a level of function within the core and hip that can resist lateral forces and torsion through the femur. Will that prevent an ACL or knee injury? Maybe, maybe not! Will it protect the knee against inevitable forces found in movement? Absolutely.
Movement involves an inherent risk of injury. There is no ignoring that. But that should not keep you from doing those things that bring joy to your life. As a human being, we are designed to move and can be our healthiest when we involve appropriate movement.
At this point in the article, I want to finish with two things:
First, my plan for the next article is to cover those forces involved in movement that the mechanical body has to manage effectively to not only prevent injury but also to excel in performance, regardless of structure.
Second, if you want to excel or you wish to resolve or better manage your chronic joint and tissue challenges. We should talk about my comprehensive movement assessment. It may be exactly what you need to step forward and upward in ability.