Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Born to Run

Becoming Human







...and walk. 

At Brisbane city chiropractor here in the CBD we deal mainly with the effects of a LACK of normal movement which compounds preexisting simple injuries.

If you've read the book Born to Run you'll be up to date with the dramatic change in our understanding of human movement and what we appear to be made for. Ultra marathons!?

I'm a doco addict and This documentary is another great insight into human 'design'.

Running has really had a bum wrap in the past few decades but it appears we have caused most of the problems.  We developed this idea (based on NO science) that big shock absorbing shoes would protect us from injury.  But one study showed that wearing 'shock absorbing' shoes INCREASED the forces through the leg compared with barefoot running.  Indeed shoes for marathon runners have LESS padding. Why?

Human feet appear to be designed to absorb shock.  That's what all those arches (3 each foot) are for AND even if you have 'flat feet' (very common) most peoples arches appear as soon as they begin to walk and run.

Maybe you don't want to begin a career as a marathon runner but this all applies to walking as well and we know the average city dweller walks less than 2km per day!

One study into chronic back pain simply asked people to walk for 30minutes a day and the effects were quite significant.  More was better and less was markedly less effective.

Last. If you're worrying about your bottom getting flat with age it's because you're not running, squatting or jumping.  Walking doesn't use the largest of our muscles (the gluts or bum muscles).

You have been warned:)