Is Movement Medicine For The Body?
Bear with me ...
I believe movement is medicine for both the BODY and the MIND.
Not only are you allowing movement to happen through your body you’re allowing movement of thought to happen through your mind. The thoughts you may have had running at 100mph seem to completely dissipate.
Movement activates the feel good hormones or happy hormones - serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and let’s not forget endorphins. Endorphins are released in response to pain & stress, they’re considered the body’s natural painkillers & help bring about a feeling of well-being.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE IN THE GRIP OF CHRONIC PAIN?
Where the simple act of moving your arm sends searing pain racing through your limb?
What happens when you’re on the floor in tears because you don’t know where to put your body or more to the point can’t grip anything to pull yourself up, or can’t lean on your wrists to push yourself up?
What happens then?
Something I’ve experienced a lot of in the last 5 months.
For me, movement became an enemy, it became more akin to a torture chamber that the mere thought of moving rendered me stone like. Restricted. Willing parts of me to move. The simple act of holding a spoon, a knife or fork was pure pulsating pain. In a fit of temper I threw a spoon across the room only to hurt my shoulder even more.
At that point I did something that astonishes me even now.
I BURST OUT LAUGHING!
The irony of my situation slapped me in the face. Here was a Pilates Coach who guides her clients through movement unable to actually DO Pilates myself. Here was a Pilates Coach telling her clients to LISTEN to their bodies and ALLOW movement to happen when I was doing neither. Here was a Pilates Coach who asked her clients to forget about the past, the future (whether it was 5 mins prior or going to be 5 mins later) and focus on themselves in the here and now.
Here was a Pilates Coach who finally admitted she needed help to sort out what was going on.
What did I do?
IN SHORT, I STOPPED FIGHTING MYSELF.
I stopped forcing the movements and started to allow movement. I had got into a pattern of holding myself so tense to protect myself from any other pain that I was moving from this point thereby exacerbating the whole situation and creating very physical stress through my body.
Pain is physically and mentally draining.
I’ve had consistent pain in some form or other throughout my life. I have a beautiful unique wonky spine which effectively renders my muscles in a battle. For the most part it’s nothing to write home about but sometimes I do daft things which sets off a wave of pain through my body.
But movement usually sorts it! Movement usually frees me up! So imagine the irony of movement doing the opposite for me and I got stuck in the pattern.
In a moment of clarity practice what you preach came through loud and clear. I had to smile and then I laughed. Something which releases those happy hormones, funnily enough.
PRACTISING WHAT YOU PREACH
I pulled my Pilates mat out. I took myself right back to basics of Alignment, Breathing and Centring. I allowed myself to acknowledge the pain, then I accepted it for what it was and then I started a simple warm up.
10 minutes later I felt energised, I felt amazing, not so stiff and completely grounded. I was present. My mind was calm, I was no longer focused on the pain. My focus was where I was in that moment.
The following day I managed a gentle 20 minute routine that stretched out the taut muscles through my back. I also managed to do two weight bearing movements, only a couple of reps, but it was enough.
It was enough to give my confidence a boost. It was enough to make me feel amazing. I cried, but it was tears of happiness. I allowed each movement to flow from one to the other, if it didn’t feel quite right I changed it I didn’t force it. I really practiced what I preached and it made a difference.
A WARNING IF YOU WILL
For those of you reading this and you have any kind of pain you’re worried about please, please, please go and get yourself checked out.
Pain is a way of telling us there is something not quite right. Never ignore it. Especially if it’s severe pain.
The pain I’ve been experiencing has come from two self inflicted shoulder injuries. I effectively crushed tendons and ligaments.
The body helps itself by shifting the working load from the affected area. The tendons and ligaments through my arms into my wrists and hands have taken the brunt
Sports massage therapy and osteopathy is helping me. Being mindful when something starts to hurt – usually my fingers - is a sign to take some down time and let things release.
Stress can affect the body in many ways, for me it comes in a very physical way. I may be a Coach and Pilates Instructor but I’m also human.
Sometimes I need that physical reminder to look after my mind and body a little bit better.
Need help managing your stress levels? Let’s have a conversation.