Motion is the lotion.
If you've been reading the KORE blog posts for long enough you know that prolonged sitting is pretty bad for all of the systems in your body. Movement assists your major body functions on the inside, but movement also helps superficially. Most of our pain related issues have a variable that includes lack of movement. Many of our clients who come in specifically for pain related issues quickly learn that regular daily, appropriate movement is a great way to manage their painful symptoms. Soft tissue (ligaments, tendons, muscles, fascia) will shorten and tighten if not moved in full range of motion regularly. If you already have an issue in a joint or muscle, inflammation and swelling can occur with prolonged periods of inactivity, (think long car rides) making that area acutely more painful. When you move your body's joints through a range of motion in a gentle and non-aggressive way, those painful joints will actually become less painful. For those not in pain, movement and general strength can actually work as a preventative against future joint problems. Movement is the trigger mechanism to release synovial fluid to our joints, providing the much needed lubrication to keep things moving properly.
Regular motion is to your muscles and joints like lotion is to your skin, apply it daily and apply it directly to areas that require more! For those of you at home, a great way to get daily motion through those achy spots is with Joint Mobility. I've provided six short (4-6 minute) routines that you can do anywhere to target specific areas of your body that are prone to tightness or pain. Figure out 5 minutes in your day where you can apply some motion lotion so you can be free of that stiffness and pain!
Neck Series:(<-- Click for video)
L / R
Up / Down
Side / Side
Up and R/ L
Down and R/ L
Chicken F/B
Chicken S/S
Chicken circles
Big Yawn
Figure 8 with nose
Chest & Shoulders (<--Click for video)
Shrug / Drop
Roll Fwd / Roll Back
Circles OH, T, Front, Back
Single Arm circles Fwd / Back / Figure 8
Over under circles
Across Check and Back
Over shoulder taps
Behind the back chest expansions
Double arm circles Fwd /Back
Elbow Curls
Upper spine (<-- Click for video)
T-spine flexion and extension
T-spine side to side
Rag Doll Fwd
Rag Doll Backwards
Side to side reaches
Quadruped Chest collapse
Quad Rotations
Side lying rib grabs
Side lying full circle sweeps
Lower Spine (<-- Click for video)
Hula hoop
Pelvic tilts lateral / fwd and back, circles
Twisters
Spinal wave
Wide stance through the feet reaches
Hands on knees cat/cow
Cat/Cow side to side
Childs pose to cobra
Windshield wipers
Hips (<-- Click for video)
Split stance hip circles
Medieval dance
Leg swings fwd / back
Single leg circles fwd / side /back
Bicycles
Knee circles
Frog rocking face up
Knee hug hip rotation
Quadruped hip circles
Legs (<-- Click for video)
Toe touch progression
Wide stance sumo squat
Wide stance foot to foot walk
Cossak lunge with hand walk
½ Kn dorsi flexion
½ kn adductor stretch
Supine Bent leg straight leg
Supine leg lowers
Ankle circles point and flex