Core Value: Stability, Mobility

 

Having excellent mobility, sufficient stability, good breathing mechanics and core efficiency will impact our ability to lift heavy stuff—which is what’s needed to offset muscle/bone loss brought on by time and hormonal challenges.

 

We won't want to squat (natural resting position) if our knees cave in from weak hip muscles. We won’t want to do the plyometrics we need for bone strength if we pee our pants every time we jump!

 

Remember, as we lose estrogen/progesterone we also lose their counter-balancing benefits for our connective tissue. Another great case for strength training for muscle mass, as well as mobility to offset diminished mobility due to lower estrogen levels. And when we see muscle as our exoskeleton…we better understand the need for it to not just move us but to maintain our frame.

 

Also, the combined effect of diminished progesterone (pain diffuser) and rise of cortisol (inflammation) often leaves us with aches and pains, fatigue and excessive fascial tension. We’re not broken but it can certainly feel that way.

 

Stability and mobility work in tandem… while stability allows us balance and support to move efficiently with less chance of injury, mobility allows us maximum range of motion at each well supported joint. We often think we are stiff when our joints are actually lax and the muscles stiffen to maintain integrity (tension). This affects our proprioception (knowing where we are in space via the receptors in our joints) and can make it easier to lose our balance.

 

Between poor shoe choices, pregnancy, monthly hormonal changes, and excessive time at devices and/or seated many of us have adopted an increased lumbar curve that can lend itself to pelvic floor issues during menopause or earlier, male or female.

 

We have to start at our base and work our way from there. If the feet aren’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. We will look at the relationship between the hip muscles and feet shortly.

 

The good news: with intentional focus we can reclaim much of what we lose...we are designed to move!