We hear it all the time: “I’ve just got old knees”, “cherish being able to run while you can”, “just wait until you get to my age”, “my doctor told me I have a 60 year-old back but I’m only 30”, the list goes on. These sayings are based on the belief that we experience “wear and tear,” and that as we age, or perform more activity, our bodies begin to break down, similar to how cars begin to break down with mileage.
While these analogies are well-intentioned, they’re not necessarily true, because unlike cars, we are living, biological organisms.
Unlike cars, we abide by the rules of wear and repair, not wear and tear. Not only do our bodies resist breaking down during physical activity or exercise, they actually improve from it. As living, biological organisms, we need intentionally applied stress to adapt and come back stronger than we were before. This is the nature of strengthening, training for a marathon, or going on progressively longer walks around your neighborhood.
These changes take time, but with persistent, incremental increases in distance, load, or overall activity level, you’ll end up not just back to where you were before injury, but in a better place than you’ve been in a long time.
Tired of feeling like you can no longer do the things you love? Schedule your personalized assessment call today, and work with our team to develop your individualized plan and path toward recovery.
