By Wina Sturgeon
Adventure Sports Weekly
As most folks age, they become accustomed to making the same motions with the same side of their bodies.
For example, when they reach up into a cupboard, it’s always with the same arm. When they shovel, it’s always with the same foot on the shovel. When they kneel, it’s always the same leg that descends first.
After several decades of always making the same motions with the same limb, the body adapts. The dominant leg grows ever more dominant until most of the work is being done by one glute. Any muscle imbalance will continue to grow ever more imbalanced. The strong side will always grow stronger, the weaker side will always grow weaker.
Eventually, the skeleton itself will twist to accommodate the stronger side, because the involved muscles exert a stronger pull on the bones to which they attach.
The result will inevitably be pain and discomfort on the weaker side. That’s one reason that those who hit their seventh decade of life are less mobile. It may be uncomfortable for them to walk.
This can be self-resolved and get better over time. However, the solution will require concentration and diligent work on your part.
First, get an accurate analysis, so you’re not playing guessing games.
A sports doctor can test your muscle strength and give you a program of exercises to make the weak side stronger.
One test, called a “gait analysis,” will analyze whether one glute does more work than the other when walking or running.
You can do the work of resolving muscle imbalances. It’s as simple as equalizing the work you do with each side of the body and paying attention to how you move.
For example, if you always reach up to a cabinet with the same arm, start reaching with the other arm.
It may be uncomfortable at first. You may not have the same range of motion that you do with the stronger arm. You won’t at first be able to handle the same amount of weight at first. But keep concentrating on working with the less dominant arm, and soon both your reach and your ability to handle more weight with the weaker side will improve.
The same goes with the legs. If you always start running or jogging with the same foot, start off now with the other foot.
Balancing the way you use your limbs and core will help prevent the immobility that’s often a side effect of aging.
— Tribune Content Agency
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