Movement is more than just staying active—it’s a vital component of our overall health and well-being. Whether you’re lifting, walking, or even just stretching, your movement patterns play a significant role in how your body functions and feels. But how exactly are health and movement connected, and what can your movement say about your health?
In this blog post, we’ll explore the deep connection between health and movement, and provide a simple at-home movement assessment to help you understand how your body is moving—and what that movement might be telling you about your health.
How Health and Movement Are Linked
When you think about staying healthy, you might immediately picture eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep. But how you move also plays a critical role in your health. Proper movement:
- Enhances Circulation: Good movement patterns improve blood flow, which benefits your heart and cardiovascular system.
- Strengthens Muscles and Joints: Proper movement helps build strength and stability, reducing the risk of injury.
- Supports Flexibility and Mobility: Moving well helps keep your joints flexible and your muscles mobile, which is essential as you age.
- Promotes Better Posture: Good movement patterns reduce stress on your body, helping to alleviate pain and discomfort, especially in the back, neck, and shoulders.
Poor movement patterns, on the other hand, can lead to a variety of health problems, from joint pain and muscle stiffness to more serious issues like chronic injury or decreased mobility as you age. This is why it’s essential to not only stay active but also to ensure that you’re moving correctly.
So how do you know if your movement patterns are supporting your health? The following at-home movement assessment will help you find out.
A Simple At-Home Movement Assessment
This quick assessment will give you insight into your body’s movement patterns and help identify areas that might need improvement. It covers key areas of mobility, strength, and balance—all of which are crucial for maintaining good health.
1. Squat Test
Instructions: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself into a squat, aiming to go as deep as possible while keeping your chest upright and your heels on the ground.
What to Look For:
- Good Mobility and Balance: Your knees should track in line with your toes, and you should be able to squat deeply without your heels lifting.
- Potential Issues: Difficulty lowering into the squat, heels lifting off the ground, or knees collapsing inward could indicate tight calves, hip immobility, or weak glutes.
Speculative Health Markers: Limited squat mobility may be associated with lower body strength deficits, poor joint health, or an increased risk of lower back and knee pain.
2. Overhead Reach Test
Instructions: Stand tall and reach both arms overhead, extending them as far as possible without arching your lower back.
What to Look For:
- Good Mobility: You should be able to extend your arms fully with ease.
- Potential Issues: Difficulty reaching overhead or compensating by arching your lower back may indicate tight shoulders, limited spine mobility, or core weakness.
Speculative Health Markers: Struggles with this movement may suggest poor posture, shoulder discomfort, and a reduced range of motion in the upper body.
3. Single-Leg Balance Test
Instructions: Stand on one leg with your other foot slightly off the ground. Hold this position for as long as possible without losing balance.
What to Look For:
- Good Balance: You should be able to balance for at least 30 seconds.
- Potential Issues: Wobbling or falling quickly may indicate weak stabilizer muscles, poor proprioception, or increased risk of falls.
Speculative Health Markers: Difficulty with balance can be linked to an increased risk of falls, ankle instability, or weakness in core and leg muscles.
4. Hip Hinge Test
Instructions: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. With a slight bend in your knees, push your hips back as far as possible while keeping your back flat (as if you’re reaching your hips toward the wall behind you).
What to Look For:
- Good Flexibility: You should be able to hinge your hips with a flat back and minimal knee movement.
- Potential Issues: A rounded back or difficulty pushing your hips back may indicate tight hamstrings, weak glutes, or lower back tightness.
Speculative Health Markers: Limited ability to perform a proper hip hinge can lead to lower back pain, hamstring injuries, or poor lifting mechanics in daily life.
What Your Results Mean
After completing the assessment, take a moment to evaluate your results. Did you notice any difficulties with particular movements? If so, these challenges might be pointing to areas of your body that need more attention.
Potential Health Indicators from Movement Issues:
- Limited squat mobility could be a sign of tightness or weakness in the lower body, potentially leading to joint issues or back pain.
- Difficulty reaching overhead might indicate poor posture or shoulder tightness, which could eventually result in discomfort or limited upper body mobility.
- Struggles with balance could mean that your stabilizer muscles need strengthening, and may also hint at a higher risk of falls or injuries.
- Challenges with hip hinging might reveal tight hamstrings or weak glutes, which can contribute to lower back pain and increase your risk of injury during everyday activities.
The good news? Movement can always be improved! By focusing on corrective exercises, mobility work, and strength training, you can enhance your body’s natural ability to move well and support your overall health.
Ready to Improve Your Movement?
If any of these movements were challenging, don’t worry—this is just the first step! The key to better movement is consistency and targeted work. By identifying and addressing your weaknesses, you can improve your movement patterns, reduce discomfort, and boost your overall health.
Movement is medicine, and it’s never too late to start improving how your body moves. Start by focusing on the areas where you noticed challenges, and gradually incorporate exercises that will help you move better and feel better.
If you’re not sure where to start, or you’d like some personalized guidance, feel free to reach out! We’re here to help you get moving in the right direction and support your health for the long term.
Our bodies are designed to move, and the way we move can tell us a lot about our health. By taking the time to assess your movement patterns and address any issues, you’re not only improving your fitness—you’re taking a big step toward better overall health and well-being.
