Everyone shares the same experience of moving feel like a robot after you strain your neck or due to muscle soreness after running your first marathon. One area or particular joint in your body is stuck, you are bound to move rest of body as a whole. How well you move is greatly affected by mobility and stability of the joints. How fit you are depending on how efficient you move.
A joint resisting to move to the range inevitably lead to compensatory movement patterns and place a strain on surrounding soft tissue and joint structures. Sitting at a desk all day long five days per week will condition the muscles of the anterior hip complex, chest and ankle complex to become shortened. The hips in particular becomes immobile is the cause of many postural issues as it is needed for bringing the leg backward when you walk. The lower back will take up the loads to make up the lack of extension in hip when you maintain a posture in a standing position. As the lumbar spine is meant to be stable, but repetitive extension can create chronic pain or injury due to over use.
While other areas of joints, such as the knee, tend to more stable. If the knee lacks stability, the hip and ankle may have to compensate to help protect the area, which can lead to overcompensation, injury or imbalance. When dysfunction of one joint, the areas either above or below will be affected having to compensate. Over time, the imbalance in musculature can make the stabilization mechanisms of the joints become less effective; therefore, the bigger muscles take over and become dominant.
It also happens in workout. If we limit the movement in one position or one plane, the body will adapt to the position or movement in which we are conditioning it. It is essential to address the imbalance prior to loading exercises with external weight, total body kinetic chain will be altered and further develop muscular imbalance, possibly cause structural changes in the long term. For instance, do not attempt to do chest press before you have addressed the round shoulder. The shortened, tight chest muscles limit the arm’s motion over the shoulder joint. It is more appropriate to first restore the balance by mobilizing the joints and help the body to move and feel better.
