By WIN Contributor: Dr. Matthew Bird, Chiropractor
An athlete’s ability to compete is undoubtably complex and individualistic. There are many variables to an athlete’s success and much of it comes down to their determination and focus to master their craft.
To master athletic movement, we need to understand what an athlete’s tissue will allow them to do. A sound understanding of one’s anatomy and what it can handle is a must in climbing the ladder of performance.
So, are you an athlete? Are you someone who values health and mobility? Do you enjoy being fit? Are you looking to maximize your movement? Then assessing your movement is crucial to not only preventing injury but to maximize your ultimate performance!
Many athletes rely on natural talent and never go further in their pursuit of athletic ability because they have “done it all”, they “know their body” and the idea “if nothings broken don’t fix it” applies. But lingering aches and pains or never reaching their true potential because of general acceptance of myths of performance and age are holding them back.
Yes, learning how to control your body is exceptionally difficult but like that “runners high,” once you break that exertional plane things just seem to fit and move a little better. We technically never really stop learning so why do so many give up on movement?
Movement relies on 3 main concepts:
1) Compliance: Does your body move the way it is supposed to, relative to other body parts.
2) Control/Co-ordination: How well and smooth does the movement appear to be? Do you compensate a movement strategy with another body part?
3) Capacity: How much load can your tissue handle before faulty movements occur? Or how much load does it take before an injury occurs?
These main concepts are what dictates athletic movement assessments at WIN Health Solutions. Do not limit yourself to exercises that are “easy” or ranges that are comfortable with limited gains. We challenge you to control yourself! So, if you are tired of randomly hurting yourself in trivial tasks or tired of lingering aches and pains following sport or exercise then check in with one of our Chiropractic movement therapists for a full evaluation and action plan. Your body, your health, Your choice!