As a child you most probably were able to effortlessly crawl, squat, climb and swing using your arms (brachiate). If you can't do these movement now, it's because you've;

• Lost the neuromuscular (motor) control between brain and muscle
• Lost strength at the end ranges of your joint movements

i.e. you didn't use it, so you lost it

Don't worry though as it's possible to restore these basic human abilities to help you run more efficiently and be agile, so that you can respond quickly and safely to obstacles in your path.

Restrictions in movement

The most common ways that movement restriction shows up in the assessment is;

• Tight neck and upper back meaning prone positions (tummy time!) and looking side to side or backwards are challenging
• Stiff spine means rotations on all fours were difficult
• Tight hips restrict your ability to squat
• Lack of coordination makes crawling a challenge
• Low foot strength makes balance difficult

Poor posture?

Good posture means that your joints are in a neutral position so that they have the full range of movement options available when asked to respond, quickly and with minimal preparation. Good posture feels good and effortless. It makes you resourceful so that you can move in a variety of ways.

'Poor' posture doesn't necessarily lead to injury and chronic pain. Many won't be aware of their postural restrictions because the body is very clever at compensating elsewhere. So if one joint is stiff, the muscles in another part of the body may step in to assist. However this causes unwanted and inefficient movement and may lack coordination, control or accuracy. So whilst you can move, you won't be moving particularly well... and over-time there is inevitable wear and strain on a body not moving optimally.

It's important to note that what we are often told about postural 'deficiencies' is distracting. Someone may have a tilted pelvis, be inflexible or lack core stability but they still get on in their sport fine. Did you know Eliud Kipchoge can't touch his toes? Many of the 'functions' we think are important aren't so much. What's important is whether you can move smoothly and without pain or injury.

Recommendations based on your assessment

Focus on hip mobility (HIP ZONE) and twisting (BACK ZONE) to help these developmental and functional movements smoother and more comfortable.