Compunding Anatomy

I often talk with clients about the connectedness of everything we do in physical therapy, to the point that they almost finish my sentence for me. The old song from elementary school comes to mind, the hip bone is connected to the thigh bone type of thing. We all know this is the case, but the mechanics behind it can be difficult to imagine practically. Why would movement at my foot affect movement options available in my neck?

Our best understanding to this point would be that joint movements compound over time. Yes, your neck may hurt, but the painful area is often more an outcome than a cause. As we move through space, forces affect our available motions. How those forces are dealt with, will determine our movement options. Should you be running down the street, step in a pothole and fall, the mild case of whiplash you experienced during the fall almost certainly has to do with your foot miscalculating the landing.

Under most circumstances bones should move with respect to each other, in fact all tissues should. When one tissue type moves, it affects the others in some way or another. The first move is like the initial deposit in an investment fund, and every move thereafter affects the next. Markets rise and fall, movements change over time. If one body region has difficulty managing a stress, some other region may attempt to compensate. If this pattern persists over time it becomes the default, and with enough time, may limit or eliminate all other known strategies.

The relationships within movement are important as they affect everything over time. Focusing on the loudest region (the painful place) is only a piece of the puzzle, like a downturn in a market investment. Zoom out and look at the trends over time, you will most likely find a more interesting pattern.

Austin Ulrich, Physical Therapist