Gray Cook said, "Move well, then move often." This is an important part of our Functional Medicine philosophy.
This principle applies to athletes, elderly, moms, those dealing with chronic disease, kids, grandparents, everyone! It is directly connected to quality of life.
First, you have to be able to properly move. That may mean simply walking without limping, standing up without pain, or being able to bend over. Or, it may mean having good range of motion and form when performing a sport so you can push yourself to the next level. If you aren’t moving and you aren’t moving properly, your entire health will suffer for it.
If you sit too long, you have most likely shortened your hip flexors and messed with the curvature of the lumbar spine. When you go to stand or walk, you may have pain in your low back or your gait will be impaired.
If you broke your ankle, wore a cast, but skipped the physical therapy, you might be moving but your ankle may still not have full range of motion. This could impair your gait and lead to later problems in the knee, pelvis, spine, shoulders, and neck.
Second, (after you can move well) you should move often.
How this ties to Functional Medicine:
If you can't move because it hurts, you can’t do things that make you happy, which impairs your quality of life and may depress you.
If you can't move, your body will not use certain substances that need to be used in order for your brain to function, your pancreas to function, and your blood pressure to be stable.
If you can't move you may develop sleep problems. If you can't sleep your brain can't clean itself, which may lead to increased chances of developing a cognitive issue.
When it comes to holistic health, movement should be given the same importance as nutrition and supplementation.
Having "movement health" not only is beneficial for your physical body, but also for your brain, heart, and every other system in your body.