Get balanced
Looking to get active? Make sure you're properly balanced before exercising this winter
by Dr. Denise Rassell
Ever wonder why the tread wears out on your tires? Of course we don't. Any mechanic will tell you, if our tires aren't balanced they wear out.
Our spine can wear out too if our foundation, being our pelvis that sits on top of our legs, is not balanced. We put much emphasis on running shoes, inserts to correct our inversions and flat feet. Yet, rarely do we look at the mechanics of the pelvis in relation to the knee and ankle or, even above the pelvis, into the spine.
In runners, we will find pelvic misalignments that interfere with the sartorius muscle. This muscle attaches from the front of the pelvis to the inside of the knee. If the pelvis is misaligned this can lead to knee, ankle, foot, and back issues.
The other pelvic problem often seen is an anatomical short leg. This means the actual length of one leg is longer than the other. This occurs in 30 to 50 percent of the population.
In runners this is a big deal. When the foundation (the legs) of the human 'house' is off, the spine can look like the leaning tower of Pisa. There will be more weight shifting to one side leading to pressure on the joints, excessive wear and tear on the spine, and to muscular imbalance.
The big picture is that our nervous system runs through our spine. If our spine is misaligned, we open ourselves up to nerve interference.
This is when the brain cannot communicate 100 percent to its body and leads to less than 100 percent performance. "Chiropractic care was mandatory for my training program," said Cathy Turner, who is a two-time Winter Olympic Gold Medalist (Speed Skating). As a runner or walker, you should contemplate seeing a chiropractor for balance so your 'tires' won't wear out!
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