Modern cars are miracles of efficient engineering, integrating and balancing power, agility, and safety as they get us where we need to go. When they are running well, we take their functionality for granted - they are like extensions of ourselves, executing our desires about where to go and how fast. When they are not running well, we get unmistakable signals - the cloud of smoke out the tailpipe, that strange noise under the hood, loss of power. Ignoring the situation is going to lead to more trouble. Maybe the car just stops running altogether or perhaps we get rear-ended and the bumper is hanging off the back. The prudent thing to do at times like this is to take the car in to the mechanic and get it fixed.
Why else would you take your car to the mechanic? For routine, regular maintenance, of course, in order to minimize the risk of the more dramatic calamities mentioned above. Maybe a friendly warning light blinks on the dash, saying it's time to pay attention! Changing the oil, checking belts and tires, getting a wheel alignment, etc, all serve to keep the machine running smoothly. More efficiency equals less wear and tear, and more reliability down the road.
But maybe your taste in cars is more zoom-zoom than putt-putt. You have a performance machine, and you feel the need for speed. You are driven to get the most power, torque, or maneuverability that you can out of what you drive. Then you would want to consult a specialist for a racing tuneup, Whatever it takes to get to the finish line first, all in one piece... The bottom line is the most efficient machine wins, and survives to race again.
By this time, you've probably caught the metaphor. Our bodies are actually the miracle machines we drive around every day. And like a car, your body a) can break down, b) benefit from regular maintenance for optimal function and c) can be tuned up for enhanced performance. At Revolutions in Fitness, we can help in each situation.
REPAIR:
When we're injured, something is broken, and we know it. There is pain. Every movement, every gesture can remind you that something isn't right, it hurts. And you may know the fear that comes with it, the fear that you may not find a way back to being whole again. If you're lucky, you know a good mechanic! Physiotherapists at RIF routinely help injured people understand their own path to healing - coordinating appropriate exercise, manual treatment, and lifestyle modifications into a plan to stimulate the best repair possible. We help you plot a course back to whatever functional goals you believe are possible.
MAINTENANCE:
But perhaps you're feeling good-ish? No current injuries, but you have some concerns. Perhaps some friendly warning signs have lit up, something feels off - or you know you're body is stressed and you've noticed signs of being less resilient. This may be the time to check yourself in to RIF for some maintenance, call it an Efficiency Checkup. RIF PTs are experts in assessing the state of your system in several ways. We check for mechanical integrity - how well do your joints and tissues move, glide, slide, and absorb shock? We also assess your neuromuscular control ability - can you recruit and use the appropriate muscles with good strength and endurance for function? And finally, we look at Motor Control, or your overall technique or strategy for movement. In each area of assessment, we can help you celebrate what you do well - yay! - and identify and treat areas that may be lacking, thereby improving your functional efficiency and heading off potential problems.
TUNEUPS:
And lastly, say you're feeling awesome, and you're taking on high-level athletic challenges. Using the same approach to functional movement described above, we can help you to tune up for maximum output, while minimizing risk of wear and tear, as you tear up the road (or the trail, or the course...).
We at Revolutions in Fitness believe that life is better when your body functions well. And proper functioning means moving efficiently. Whatever you are up to in life, whatever you use your body for, we can help you find a way to greater efficiency. Let us be your trusted neighborhood Body Mechanics!
Mark McMahon, DPT
