Guest guest Posted January 10, 2003 Report Share Posted January 10, 2003 Hi As a physiotherapist I have done a lot of work with patients of all ages and have a particular interest in elder care. One big thing I have noticed is that we lose certain physical abilities as we age. The most basic human movements are seen in small babies. Firstly there is head control, then ability to roll from side to side, this progresses to being able to sit unsupported.Following sitting balance the next ability we gain is standing balance and then walking followed by running. Round about this stage a child will learn to squat, IMHO a very important skill. Another skill which we lose early is the ability to use our feet properly when we walk this can lead to flat feet or pronated feet ( feet falling inwards) this in turn can lead to problems further up the physical structure This learning takes on a new dimension when a child is about six. It starts to learn its movement habits from others. The cultural dimensions to movement start to become apparent. At this point the rot can set in big time, poor posture can lead to muscle tension which in turn leads to discomfort and adaptation to the poor postural habits.Throughout life this leads to a multitude of problems as the body attempts to sort itself out. The body of course is always fighting the effects of gravity, first the soft tissues sag and after a while the bones and joints follow suit... anyone sitting hunched over a key board??????? Sedentary working can lead to bent over posture and decreased lung volume. This could be crucial as the years pile on as we need good rib cage expansion to prevent chest infections from. (we all know of elderly people who have had a chest infection during a few days enforced bed rest) Our life styles and body structure give us all unique patterns of wear and tear and muscle adaptation this is why IMHO prescriptive exercises are necessary instead of following some standard routine as is commonly done for weight training and aerobics. Hope you find this interesting...... Philip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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