How Low Can You Go?

Over the years I cannot tell you how many patients have told me that they can't squat because it hurts their knees. As we age, it becomes more challenging to squat, but this is ridiculous! I love it when people tell me that they can't do something. That is a challenge that I will gladly accept. All that I asked of these patients was to have a little faith in themselves (and a little in me too) and know that I am not going to ask them to try something that they will not be able to do. Guess what! These patients were able to squat much "deeper" than they ever thought that they could! Do you know why? They were able to do it because they were willing to push their boundaries a little bit, and try something new (with supervision of course). We worked in "baby steps" but with each step we were able to progress a little farther!

Now that we have talked about squatting a little... Do you know why squatting is so important? I am not just talking about the exercise (which is great, by the way), but I am talking about the movement required to lift things off the floor. So many people injure their lower backs and hips by using improper mechanics. Those improper mechanics result in exacerbations of lower back pain, that are avoidable if we simply stop to think about what we are doing, and then take the time to do it the right way

Did you know that we learn how to squat at a very early age? Our squatting technique is virtually perfect at a young age. My children all squat with perfect form, however, as we age, we begin to lose the range of motion in the upper and lower back, hips, and knees that is required to perform an ideal squat. That does NOT mean that we are destined a have difficulty with squatting for the rest of our lives! We can all afford to spend just a little time retraining our body. Take the time to do your prescribed exercises, and don't be afraid to try things that you NEVER thought that you would be able to do, because your mind will stop you before your body does!