Reflections: Foot mobility, movement is cognitive medicine, be a helper
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
My July Reflection - Keep Moving!
Have you ever paid attention to how people walk? Look at their gait and notice how smoothly or how much effort they are expending? I'm sure we all have noticed at some point the way a person walks. Recently I observed a host of people walking, some older individuals. My thought was when did that begin to occur? The slowing down of movement, shuffling of feet, the hunched shoulders and intent focus on the ground. As the saying goes, it probably happened suddenly and then all at once.
As I have been studying in my continuing education course, the brain controls everything. And by everything, I mean everything. That slowing down pace and looking at the ground is the brain not feeling safe - survival is it's number one job. That begs the question, how do we make the brain feel safe?
We will be looking at some ways we can help our brain through movement and help reverse the "narrowing" as we discussed last time. If you haven't read about it, you can check it out here.
Body - Foot Mobility & Toe Strength
Dr. Eric Cobb founder of Z-Health - a brain-based training and education system - begins his programs with the question, can you move every joint through every range of motion and can you control it? As he explains, joint problems or joint immobility anywhere in the body can create muscular deficits. This is because the muscles respond neurologically to what the joints are telling them to do.
When I walked 75 miles on the Camino De Santiago, one thing I noticed when I returned home was how incredibly strong my feet felt. I know, that seems like a strange thing to occur and or notice but it was undeniable. We know from Dr. Cobb and others like Dr. Courtney Conley, the importance of feet and toe strength for falling prevention. To that end, I'm sharing a short video from Dr. Cobb on how we can improve toe strength. Our feet are probably one of the most overlooked areas that help our mobility. Build a strong foundation starting with the feet.
Challenge for you:
Focus on your foot strength. Best way to start, remove your shoes and socks, wiggle your toes. Can you spread your toes? Can you move your big toe without moving the other ones and vice versa?Watch the short video above and work on your feet.
Mind - Helping the Brain through Movement
Thinking while moving is a great cognitive exercise. Another way to say it is cognitive flexibility - can you think of new ideas for example. One example of a movement cognitive exercise is getting up and down off of the floor in different ways. This can be using your hands for support or grabbing on to something. We want to make sure the brain remains adaptable to different movement challenges because in the real world we aren't moving exactly the same way as we would say, if we were doing a deadlift in a gym. So by getting up off the floor in a different manner, it is a great way for our brains to be activated. The brain can be adaptable and resilient in the face of different movement challenges and it can be creative in problem solving. So movement while having to think will help the brain and sense it controls everything we want to "keep it moving".
Challenge for you:
Try Dr. Cobb's 5 Ways Up & Down challenge - set a timer for 5 minutes and get down to the floor and back up in different ways. This makes you think while you are moving - great for brain health.
Spirit - Look For the Helpers
As fires destroy people's homes, farms, and cattle in the West, I'm heartbroken for what they are presently enduring. As reports come out about how some of these fires have been started, it's easy to become cynical and angry. To avoid those feelings, I'm comforted by Fred Rogers and the words his mother used with him in the face of bad things in the news, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." I recently donated to the American Red Cross to help those impacted by the fires. They have the expertise to get resources effectively to those that need it.
Challenge for you:
Here's to the helpers. Let's take stock of how we can be one of them.
Quote I'm Pondering:
"Movement isn't just physical, it's cognitive medicine."
Z-Health Performance Solutions
To your reflection and health,
Lisa Schaffer
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See my last newsletter Body, Mind & Spirit…
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