Establishing a practice of physical movement
Finding joy and harmony in the everyday ritual of physical activity
Working in a physical therapy clinic, I see a lot of people. I see people young and old, people who move their bodies vigorously on the weekend, people who don’t move very often, people who move one part of their body too much, and people who move with pain. I work with people who have had pain for decades. Their pain may evolve or change through the years, but there’s typically some type of familiar thread through all of it.
When I interview people on their first visit, people tell me about why they are coming in for physical therapy. It’s always interesting. I’m always fascinated that people may have recurring problems with one part of their body, or they may have more problems with one side of the body versus the other. I always ask, “Why? What’s the reason?”
I encourage people to observe their movements, to notice what they feel when they move or rest, and to breathe. For so many people, exercise or physical therapy is something that gets done by following what someone else tells you do. You go to a class and follow the teacher. You go to physical therapy and are told how many repetitions, how many sets, the correct form, and the frequency of when to practice. I’ve noticed, too, that in a yoga class, people want to follow what I demonstrate with the poses and sequences.
If you’ve gone to physical therapy or to a group exercise or yoga class, have you had this experience?
But, I dare to ask you this. If you have been to an exercise class or a physical therapist, has the therapist or trainer lived in your body? No.
So, while I, as a PT and a yoga teacher, use my skills to assess how you move, I can only help guide or collaborate with you on your path. There is not a formula for healing. I wish I could tell you, “Do 3 sets of 10 of these leg raises everyday for 2 weeks, and your pain will be gone.” It’s not that simple.
We all have our own lived experiences and biases. I may be biased toward a particular approach because I have more education in that approach. That may not be what feels good to you in your body. I will encourage you to seek medical attention and advice, but I will also encourage you to seek ways of moving that feel good and right in your own body. Finding harmony and joy in a movement practice takes the drudgery out of the process.
I can’t tell you how many people tell me, “If I don’t have an appointment to come to therapy, then I won’t do it.” And, I have to ask, why? Does the movement practice resonate? Does it address the root of the issue? What is it that we’re missing? We can solve it together. But, we have to be willing to listen to each other and we have to be willing to explore different options.
I will invite you to work with any medical provider that you see for your health concerns, but I want you to advocate for yourself to get the most out of it for your benefit. Don’t give away your power in relation to what you see for yourself on your health journey. When it comes to movement practices, take advice, but I encourage you to also explore what feels good for you. Movement on a regular basis is the most beneficial for our bodies because it helps to keep us strong, mobile, independent, and healthy. In order for us to want to move regularly, we have to find something we enjoy doing.
I have some suggestions for finding joy in a regular movement practice!
Try something new. Sign up for a dance class, a Pilates class, a different type of yoga class.
Reach out to a friend and set up a time to exercise together. Or, find a group that practices together like a running club, hiking club, adult sport leagues, or an adaptive recreation group.
Incorporate play into your movement. I think that as adults, we can sometimes forget how fun it was to roller skate, ride bikes for fun, crawl, jump, play hopscotch, play ball without worrying who wins or loses.
Look at your local Recreation and Parks department for programs. They may provide access to new ideas without having to invest in buying lots of equipment to start a new sport or movement practice. For example, I happened to get a fall brochure one year and I saw a class titled Japanese Swordsmanship. I had no idea exactly what it meant, but I was intrigued by it. I had seen Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and I wanted to learn about working with a Samurai sword! I signed up and have enjoyed my martial arts practice for 14 years! I’m no Michelle Yeoh, but I love it!
While I know this isn’t a comprehensive list, I hope it’s some food for thought for you. Variety of movement, adding an element of play, reaching out to a friend or group, trying something new can be good ways to make regular movement and activity part of your daily ritual.
Take good care,
Sharon
PS I hope you didn’t miss me too much last week! I was getting over being sick and just could not get my writing done! So, I gave myself some grace to let last week’s newsletter go, but I’m glad to be back this week!