Most of us take the way we move for granted. We do what we do, and we do it the same way, every day.
Is this a problem? Not necessarily, since we all need to be able to do some things without thinking too much about them. But it may be a problem if you’re caught in a cycle of pain, discomfort or limitation that just doesn’t seem to go away. In that case, becoming aware of these habits, and learning new ways of moving, with greater balance and ease, may be exactly what your body is asking for. When we do have pain, either acute or chronic, we tend to think of our bodies as clusters of isolated parts, which conventional medicine often reinforces. So when we’re feeling that something is wrong or doesn’t feel good, we assume that the “problem” lies with that “part.” If our knee is hurting, we tend to focus on what’s wrong with the knee, instead of realizing that our knee problem may have more to do with how we use our pelvis in walking, or how our feet may be perpetually gripping the floor, for example. When we make changes to the way we hold ourselves, the way we stand, sit, walk, move, we are also then changing the way our muscles and bones align. The result is often much more fluid and functional movement, greater ease, and better performance.