Top 3 Lists

Top 3 Areas of Your Body to Focus On

By October 14, 2017 No Comments

Must adults want to feel flexible, strong, and do the activities they want to pain free.  Traditional and isolated exercises have their place, but often limit how the body functions as a whole.  Ensure you are getting the most out of your exercise selections by focusing on these three primary areas…

The Foot/Ankle:  Our first point of contact with the ground, the health of the foot and ankle complex can dictate the function of our entire body.  Efficient loading of the joints and related muscles of the feet set off a chain reaction that allow the knees and hips to work in sync.  Stiff shoes and high heels limit motion.  Traditional exercises that are on machines or limited to one plane of motion (front / back) don’t promote strength or integration of proper foot mechanics.  Try stepping or lunging in different directions.  Balance while reaching to different spots (instead of standing still).

The Hips:  The center of gravity of the human body, it’s also the home of the biggest and strongest muscles.  Unfortunately, todays sedentary culture shuts down hip function and puts us a mechanical disadvantage.  The joints above the hip and below the hip can take a beating as a result.  Discomfort in the lumbar spine and the knees are often a result of poor hip function.  As we mature, our exercise selections cannot ignore the most important parts of our body.  Strengthen the hips by moving them in all three planes with appropriate selections of lunges, reaches, squats, and balance exercises.  Make sure to walk, jog, or hike as often as you can.  And if you have a seated job get up every 30 minutes!

The Thoracic Spine (Mid-Back):  Vastly underrated in human function, this is another area of the body that gets beat down from our seated lifestyles.  Running from your neck to the small of your lower back, the thoracic spine is the home of attachments for the shoulder blades, ribs, and abdominal muscles.  When you are stuck in a slumped position at a desk or while commuting, the function of your entire body takes a hit.  The t-spine is also a common area for stress to settle, causing pain and discomfort through the neck and shoulders.  Every arm action you make is connected to this area of the body.  Use your arms to reach and stretch in every plane of motion to keep this area functioning at its best.

Sean Fitzpatrick

Author Sean Fitzpatrick

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