How We Move Our Bones

11/9/2009 3:25:00 PM

Without muscles we would simply be an old bag of bones.  We contract our muscles in order to move.  Muscles are usually attached to two different bones.  A contraction causes the muscles to become shorter which causes one of the bones to move. 

Muscles Contract to Move Bones

Long muscles tend to produce large gross motor movement like throwing a football, while short deep muscles are most often used for small, precise movement like wiggling your nose.

Contractions

There are two types of muscle contractions.  The first is when the muscle becomes shorter as explained above.  Additionally, a muscle can strain against some resistant force without changing its length.  An example of this would be pushing or straining against an immovable object such as a doorjamb.  Isometric exercises fall into the category of this second type of muscle contraction. 

When a muscle is not in a contraction, it relaxes back into its normal resting state. 

Tendons—How Muscles Attach

A Tendon is one way that muscles are attached to bones but muscle fibers also attach directly.

Muscle Fiber Attachment and Tendon Attachment

Some muscles, particularly in the hands and feet, attach to several bones at once.  Also, a muscle may attach to more than one joint. 

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Form Follows Function...

10/18/2009 4:06:00 PM

The Way You Move

Creates the Shape Your Body Takes

"Most of us are very aware of what the world does to us but we remain blissfully unaware of what we do to ourselves.  What a grand world this could be if we were willing to spend half the effort to change ourselves as we are willing to devote to changing others."--Bernice Danylchuk

Congratulations!  You're obviously interested in improving your body. This is a program called Physiodynamics, developed by Bernice Danylchuk.  It will provide you with a great deal of information about your body.  You will learn surprising facts about the way your anatomy works.  You will come to understand that your body is structurally engineered to function at its very best.

Most importantly, you will learn precisely how to hold each individual part of your body in its proper position.  Physiodynamics will teach you how to move correctly.  You may have to re-learn how to stand, bend, walk, sit, run, etc.  But, you will find that Physiodynamics will change the way your body feels and looks completely and forever, for the better.

Physiodynamics is not a diet program or an exercise program.  It is not like anything else you have encountered.  Rather, it is a new way to use your body in every action that you take, every moment of your life.

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Physiodynamics, the Process

For some, Physiodynamics is easy.  Their bodies are relatively well-aligned and subtle changes are all that are required in order to eradicate pain and to improve appearance.  These people may be able to make huge changes quickly and, in a matter of weeks, will be able to completely integrate into their lives these new ways of using their bodies. 

For others, Physiodynamics will become a longer-term process.  People whose bodies have become locked and hardened into incorrect alignment and movement patterns will have a bigger job ahead of them.  It will be more than simply training themselves to move differently.  They will have to re-activate sleeping muscles, stretch tightened tendons and ligaments and even reposition bones and joints. 

If this sounds overwhelming, don’t give up hope.  This can all be accomplished using a series of movements or exercises.  It will take time and involve some challenging work, but you will find that results will quickly begin to become evident.  Usually pain clears up early in the process. Strength, balance, and coordination begin to improve immediately.  Obvious physical changes occur constantly.

The good news is that a perfect body is attainable for almost everyone.  Yes, even you!  How quickly it is achieved will depend on how much you need to accomplish and your dedication and willingness to work.

 A whole new world is about to open up to you...a world where you can look amazing and feel wonderful, a world free of pain, a world where you can be an athlete if you want to (and not just a mediocre one, but an actual bonafide, talented athlete.)

With Physiodynamics, your body’s potential will astonish and delight you.  Welcome to the world of beauty and health.  Welcome to the world of Physiodynamics.

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Right Weight, Wrong Body

Is this you?  You’ve counted your calories, your fat grams, your sugar, your protein, your carbs, your inches and your pounds.  You’ve dieted yourself to the perfect weight and still your body is not beautiful.  You’ve lifted weights, taken yoga classes and treadmilled and stairmastered only to be rewarded with disappointing results.  Firmer and trimmer, yes.  Shaped right,  NOT!!? 

Do the proportions of your body seem to defy the laws of symmetry and elegance?  Maybe your hips are too wide, your legs too thick or your chest is caved in.  Or maybe your body looks thick and stumpy instead of long and lean.  Do you have fat ankles, bulky upper arms, a chicken neck or knock knees?  If dumpy, gawky, lumpy, wimpy or slumpy are words that apply to your appearance, then diet and exercise alone may never be able to give you the shapely, healthy body you desire. 

Ouch!!!

If your body doesn’t look tall and beautiful, chances are it doesn’t feel tall and beautiful either.  Your low back probably aches or your shoulders throb.  Do you struggle with constant knee problems, neck pain, migraine, arthritis or poor circulation? 

If these and nay number of countless other aches and pains affect your body, then you need help.  Maybe you didn’t know that there was anything you could do about them.  Well, there is.  And the solution is literally right there under your nose.  In fact, where your hold your nose is part of the solution.

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What’s a Beautiful Person Like You Doing in that Ugly Body?

(Don’t Despair—Read On.  Help is Just Ahead!)

Why do some people look so much better than others?  We have all observed people who have beautiful features and yet seem to lack that something that makes them stand out in a crowd.  We’ve also seen striking, vibrantly attractive people who aren’t really all that special up close.  Why do they look so spectacular?  What is that thing that sets them apart, that makes a woman look truly beautiful and a man utterly handsome?

It’s good posture, of course.  And it’s impossible to be really great looking without it.  See for yourself. Just look around.  The next time you see someone who really knocks you out, you’ll probably find that they have excellent posture. 

Grace and good carriage come naturally for some people.  They were born with it.  They were born lucky.  And this kind of luck leads to beauty and good health.  Only a lucky few get this kind of luck naturally.  The rest of us have to work for it.  But the good news is that when we attain it, the payoffs can be tremendous. 

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The Payoffs

Form follows function and that’s why people who have good posture develop good bodies.   They are strong and powerful because they use the natural leverage centers of their body efficiently.  Their movement is fluid and graceful.  Their carriage allows their bodies to become tall and elegant in appearance.  Their legs and arms hang straight, long and symmetrical.  Their muscles are elongated rather than bunched up or atrophied.  Necks are long and elastic.  Chests are full and beautiful.  The weight of their torsos lifts off their hips and their bodies feel light and bouyant.  Tummies are trim and flat.  Of course they’re beautiful to look at with all this going for them.  Wouldn’t you be, too?

While the rest of us plod along heaving and jerking our lumpy, painful bodies through life, the lucky few with good posture move elegantly, each step and gesture actually contributing to their health, well-being and beauty.

Proper movement not only promotes a beautiful form but also creates good heath.  Good breathing becomes natural.  Blood and oxygen circulate to the skin, organs, muscles, nerves, and glands helping to support the immune system, regulate hormones, control body temperatures and even help us think better!

People with good posture perform much better in sports, dance and exercise.  In fact, good posture aids in all of one’s daily activities.  Standing and moving tall keeps the bones in straight alignment promoting muscular flexibility and allowing the joints to move freely without pressure, eliminating many of the pains of aging.  Energy and endurance are increased and fatigue minimized.

And good posture helps us heal faster and regain full use of our bodies following accidents or surgeries.  It releases untapped sources of energy from deep within us and restores those natural forces we rob ourselves of daily. 

“As correct movement becomes natural and automatic, a new zest springs from a well-controlled center of body balance and we begin to assume naturally and unnoticeably the position which is best for everything we do.”—Bernice Danylchuk

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Body Mechanics--Let’s Get a Few Things Straight

“Dem Bones"

Bones are rigid.  They keep us from melting into a lump on the ground like a puddle of jello.  They also serve as magnificent levers allowing us to move our bodies in the space around us and to lift and carry objects.

When the bones of our bodies stack up straight, one on top of the other, like perfectly lined up building blocks, this perfect balance helps reduce the stress on muscle tissue.  Muscle fatigue increases when the muscles must strain and pull in order to hold improperly stacked bones upright.  However, the body is designed so that a great deal of our body weight can be supported by our bones, rather than our muscles, if we will only align ourselves properly.

Where Bones Meet

Bones are linked together at the joints which are designed to allow for easy movement.  The bones are shaped to fit snugly together but they also slide easily on each other.  Where the bones slide on each other, they are usually covered with a protective coating called cartilage.

When you have good posture, your bones line up properly in your joints and your cartilage will last for a lifetime.  However, when your bones are pulled out of alignment, they begin to rub in the wrong places.  This can result in excessive friction on your cartilage which will cause it to deteriorate over time, leading to pain and limiting your range of motion.

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How the Bones of the Joints Stay Together

In a healthy joint, the bones are pressed firmly together.  This compression happens due to the force of gravity pushing the weight of the body on to the joint.  Or, in the case of certain non-weight-bearing joints, the bones stay together through the natural balancing push and pull forces of healthy muscles.

Ligaments are fibrous bundles that connect the bones of a joint together.  Their job is to strengthen and stabilize the joint.  They do not stretch and contract  caterpillar-style like muscles.  Rather, they are pulled taught or allowed to go slack based on the movement of the bones in the joint.

On left, ligaments hold the bones together.  On right, tight and slack ligaments.

Ligaments serve as a sort of emergency stop for movement in the wrong direction.  For example, ligaments prevent our fingers from bending too far backwards, our knees from bending forward, and our necks from hanging backward onto our backs.  We need ligaments to keep our joints from dislocating constantly.

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