Is There Really Any Value to Periodic Mobility Check-ups?

In a paper published in the prestigious British Medical Journal entitled:”How Should We Define Health”, the author Machteld Huber and colleagues propose a new definition of health as, “the ability to adapt and self-manage.” This is having the vitality to deal with the inevitable health crisis that face all of us in our lives and not get critically sick. The second part, “self-manage” is the most impactful. This means to thrive without requiring care or assistance from other people or things.  

The question then becomes: ”If this is in fact true, (and we believe that it is), then what is the best strategy for making it happen?

Let’s look at the facts:

1. Every facet of our health is predicated upon the efficiency and effectiveness of our abilities to move.

2. Science has proven that the more physically active we are, the healthier we are.

3. The more sedentary we become, the greater the statistical likelihood of becoming sick. Getting sick as we age is not age, it is progressive immobility.

4. Chronic degenerative conditions such as Type2 Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, heart disease and many of the most common cancers are directly impacted by levels of activity.

5. Most degenerative arthritis is wear and tear deterioration of the joints and related soft tissues. Independent of direct injury 100% is related to a breakdown in functional mechanics at the joint level. This is not just science, it is logical.

6. Breakdown in joint function can happen suddenly or progressively over time due to repetitive strain, postural alteration, micro-trauma or direct injury.

7. Diet and stress have a direct impact upon joint function and health. What you eat and how you think directly affect weight, posture and movement.

8. The only way to control arthritis is to manage mechanical insult. Pain is often the body’s cry in attempting to get your attention. If you decide to live with the pain you are guaranteed more of it.

9. The body has remarkable ability to adapt and repair. Get rid of the insult, heal injured tissues, rebalance and strengthen and function is usually restored.

10. Periodic mobility check-ups don’t just make sense, but as the BMJ study suggests maximize your capacity to adapt, self-manage and stay healthy.