The All-Important Range of Motion
Dr. Christine Foutch is a holistic physician practicing in Rock Island, IL. The practice of holistic medicine integrates conventional and alternative therapies to prevent disease, treat disease, and most importantly promote optimal health.
For educational purposes
Resource:
National Council On Strength & Fitness
NCSF-ACPT
The range of motion at a joint will greatly affect the way the joint functions as well as how well it performs and the abilities to perform comfortably at varying velocities. Maintaining an optimal level of flexibility at the joint allows for efficient movements while helping to maintain a high level of joint health.
To add to that comment, proper functional range of movements alleviates the consequences associated with poor range of motion.
The maintenance of our flexibility is associated with a decrease in our rate of functional decline, while also allowing for much greater independence as we age. The most detrimental outcome of a individuals range of motion decline is the limitation of their daily movement capabilities.
The events that lead up to the reduced flexibility become problematic, as rigidly equals stiffness. This reduces even more of our physical activity participation. This creates for a negative adaptation, as further reduced activities will limit the range of motion even more so. As a result, the progressing downward spiral leads to chronic pain, dysfunction, and a reduced quality of life.
Our muscles pull on our bony structures. If the muscle is tight, this pulling can alter the normal alignment.
When the kinetic movement chain is compromised, the soft tissues become stressed due to the force variations that are not existing when the joint is properly aligned.
This can create two problems that will promote joint injury:
- The alignment change causes movement deviations, leading to unnecessary stress on the connective tissue structures.
- If the body is subject to ongoing forces, it can lead to an exhaustive strain.
Low back pain
Low back pain is often associated with a lacking of flexibility in the muscles that act on the hip and lower spine. Also, tight muscles can become injured when the joint is forced to move through a functional unattainable movement range or at high velocities.
I must mention: Improvements in range of motion from participation in flexibility routines have been shown to positively affect our stress levels.
A reduction in muscle tension through a improvement in relaxation of the tissue is associated with self-reported stress reduction. The activities that address range of motion issues, such as yoga, have also been shown to affect the acute stress response.
About Christine Foutch:
Christine Foutch is a practicing Holistic Physician in Rock Island, Illinois. Holistic medicine is the art and science of healing that addresses the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. The practice of holistic medicine integrates conventional and alternative therapies to prevent and treat disease, and most importantly, to promote optimal health.
Her educational background includes holistic nutrition, physiology, weight loss, weight gain, fitness maintenance, functional range of motion, hypertrophy, strength training, and power training. She has expertise in nutrition, biology, biochemistry, biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, immunology, and knowledge of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.
Christine Foutch obtained certification in 2013 from Penn Foster Career School. She began online counseling through Holistic Infowars and has since provided help with disease reversal and weight management, among many others.
