The Secrets of Fall Arthritis Part II

In the last newsletter, I wrote about some seasonal causes of pain and stiffness. As the weather turns from warm to cool to cold our bodies work hard to adapt. Today, we'll explore the easiest solution for this natural shift, mindful movement.

Most pain, at it's core, is influenced by movement. Our bodies are alive and life moves. In Chinese Medicine, life force is known as Chi. It is the movement of our blood, electrical signals, energy. Blocked and stagnant Chi results in pain and stiffness- sometimes diagnosed as arthritis.

Mindful movement, at it’s core, pays attention to your body and how you move through space and time. It starts with a few questions. I, myself, dislike answering body/mind questions- when I intellectualize pain, I get overwhelmed by all the "possible/probable" answers. So instead, I ask the questions and let the answers come to me over the course of a day, week or month.

1. When did the pain start?

2. What do you think caused it?

3. What have you done in the past?

4. What healthy habits helped?

5. What makes it worse?

Noticing your body mechanics is an easy way to start. Paying attention to how you stand, walk and sit when you are going throughout your day lets you make adjustments, keeping you pain free. Let's start with how you stand. I notice my standing mechanics best when I’m showering or standing in line at the store.

Notice where you feel the most pressure on the bottom of your feet. Experiment with how you shift your weight, noticing how it effects your posture and areas of tension/relaxation. Your weight should be relatively balanced, using your whole foot to support your weight. If it’s not, and it feels unbalanced to do so, try shifting other parts of your body like your pelvis, shoulders and head until you feel like your weight is evenly on both feet and evenly across your foot. 

Next, notice the angle of your feet. Are they parallel? If they aren’t, what do you need to change so they are? Pay specific attention to how your leg fits into the hip socket. If your feet aren't parallel, lift your hip up, rotate your leg in it's socket and mindfully place your foot parallel onto the floor. You might feel some stretching in your hip when you do this.

Lastly, try different positionings of your pelvis, shoulders, neck, arms, hands, etc. Noticing how every stance effects your whole structure. Ideally, the feet, knees, hips, shoulders and head are lined up. You'll notice this best while standing sideways in front of a mirror. If you aren't properly aligned, try adjusting until you are and if you feel off balance, keep adjusting your pelvis, where the weight falls on your feet, the position of your head, etc until you feel balanced again. You might feel awkward at first because you aren't used to this new position, however, the more you do it, the more comfortable and pain free you'll become.

Next newsletter, I'll discuss what to pay attention to while walking and sitting. Until then, happy standing.