Your body craves movement, give it what it wants

Exercise isn't bad for you
I'm sure you’ve heard this before: “squats are bad for your knees”. Maybe you’ve heard that “deadlifts are bad for your back” or that “pressing is bad for your shoulders”. It’s time to set the record straight. Exercise isn’t bad for your joints. Better yet, movement isn’t bad for your joints. 

What is bad for your joints? Things like muscle imbalances and weaknesses, poor range of motion and simply, a lack of movement. That’s what is bad for your joints.

Everyone should squat, deadlift, push and pull. They are the basic primal movements. Why? Because I’m sure that at some point today you had to get on/off the toilet, open your car door and pick up something off the floor. Congrats, you have squatted, deadlifted, pushed and pulled.

You may not be ready to add weight and perform some of the higher level or more complex barbell movements, right this second. But, you need to be performing the corrective exercises to address the underlying reasons why you’re not currently able to perform these movements. Why is this so important?

Exercise protects your joints
We’ve known for a long time that exercise isn't bad for your joints. That’s why so many people/injuries benefit greatly from EXERCISE. Unfortunately, some people need more convincing. New research found that exercise isn’t bad for your joints. Exercise actually protects your joints. It can help prevent the development of joint pain and issues such as arthritis. 

I say we do away with the old belief that exercise is bad for joints. Or that you should avoid certain exercises because they can increase your risk of joint issues like arthritis. It’s the exercises people are avoiding that are the first line of defense against developing joint issues.

Give your body what it wants
It’s time to do away with the old way of thinking. There are no bad exercises, only poorly performed ones. If you’re not squatting because of fear of damaging your joints, its time to start squatting. If you’re not deadlifting because you’re unable to perform the movement safely and efficiently, its time to start working towards that. The same goes for pushing and pulling.

If you’re unsure what you need to do to be able to safely and efficiently squat, deadlift, push or pull then click here to book a session.

Cory Myers, The Practical Physio

Helping the #EverydayAthlete increase their performance and recover from injury so they can train hard and stay injury free.