Movement is Life

As of late, I have realized that our bodies work best in a state of movement. For instance, the computer at which I am writing forces me to sit (or stand) in front of the screen. As soon as we constrain our movement, adaptations begin to occur to compensate for it. Muscles shorter, leading to imbalances of muscle tension and pain. Ligaments contract since their limits are not explored beyond "normal".

I see this frequently with the student population which I work with at the University. Hours of sitting in class, sitting studying all leads to very clear patterns of movement. A head-forward posture is almost universal with my clients on campus and low back pain is surprisingly common.

I associate this with how our bodies are made for an alert, erect posture with our head swiveling to allow our stereoscopic vision to spot food and threats. With our society, erect posture becomes "sitting up straight" or "square your shoulders". Our gimbaled neck swings us eyes from one corner of the screen to the other and checks our blind spot. Suddenly, backing out of the driveway becomes painful and difficult.

We seek out massage therapists and bodyworkers and doctors for pain relief. As a bodyworker, I appreciate the patronage afforded to me by this conundrum. I also hope to further educate my clientele about the options that are available to them as a supplement to massage therapy. Whether a low-velocity activity like tai chi or some forms of yoga or a high velocity activity such as aerobics or sports, I see them all as exploring available ranges of motion in the client and therefore as beneficial.

Welcome to the Muscle Engineer

Thank you for visiting muscle-engineer blog. This blog is provided and maintained by Jonathan Walton, aka The Muscle Engineer. A massage therapist and bodyworker for over 8 years, I currently practice in Madison, Wisconsin adjacent to Camp Randall stadium. I envision this as a forum for me to post questions and commentary about my evolving bodywork practice and the challenges that they bring to my door. I welcome your comments and queries as well as welcoming new clients to my practice.

Thank you and stay tuned.
Jonathan