Get Fit - with body balance

Do you find that you're VERY right side dominate, or VERY left side dominate? Most of us use our dominate side for reaching overhead, turning a doorknob, painting, etc. The non-dominate side usually does the heavy carrying, thus freeing up your right hand for more delicate, and dexterity movement. If you're right handed, changes are you lead with your right leg and stabilize with your left.

Over time, your body may become noticeably weaker or less flexible and your skeleton will adapt to this. When one side gets too dominate, your balance could suffer.. An article published by the US Nation Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine says that falls may be caused by intrinsic factors such as unstable joints, muscle weakness, and unreliable postural reflexes. Your flexibility can suffer as well from non-use, which may lead to pain, physical therapy, or surgery.

Pain is often a symptom when one side of the body is weaker or has less range of motion. The good news is that it can be alleviate with strength training and stretching Try shaking up your routine by doing one handed rows, pressing with one leg on the Extension machine, etc. Remember, it's taken years for your body to adapt to muscle imbalance. It will take time to regain balance.

Use your non-dominant hand to pour your morning coffee, brush your teeth, or dust. Try leading with your non-dominate leg, or lead with the leg stepping on a curb. Usage will gradually lead to more flexibility and strength. You'll probably feel uncoordinated and unnatural at first, but your efforts will soon be rewarded.

One important concept that clients often hear is , "what you do on one side, you must do on the other." That is especially true when rehabbing an injury. Your PT or chiropractor has limited time with you. The exercises she/he may be doing with you will be on the concerned side. It's good practice, to routinely copy the exercise on the "good side".

Patience, consistency, and time always pays off.