Change The Information Before The Movement
What happens when we change the information before we change the movement?
I recently started an applied neurology mentorship with Next Level Neuro, and over the past week I’ve been reflecting on how to integrate what I’m learning into my Anatomy in Motion process and my understanding of the brain’s predictive nature, including allostasis.
Candidly, it’s been a bit confusing. I’m trying to figure out how they might actually intertwine into a useful coaching lens and ultimately a unique process.
Let me explain.
One thing I appreciate about Anatomy in Motion is that Gary Ward’s Flow Motion Model lets us see movement as a 3D system - every bone and joint working seamlessly together, ideally. If someone can’t access a particular joint shape or movement phase in gait, I can identify the missing biomechanical movement option(s) and work to address movement limitations, discomfort, or pain.
I’ve started exploring a few other questions and, at the same time, reflecting on what might be blocking movement or causing pain. Is it purely biomechanical, or are the brain and nervous system limiting “permission”? If the limitation isn’t simply a local or even global mechanical problem, what else is at play?
If we lean on Lisa Feldman Barrett and a little neuroscience, we can postulate that a specific movement or joint limitation could be influenced by allostatic load (think body budget), and that the brain may regulate movement in ways that help manage our energy; yes, there is more to this, i.e. interoception, exteroception, injury history, etc., but let’s keep it simple for now.
In that context, let’s say I can’t access tibial rotation on my left side. This could be purely biomechanical, but the more I think about this, the more I realize that rarely is something just one thing. My brain, for whatever reason(s), may not be predicting this tibial movement easily, and from an allostatic standpoint, perhaps the movement represents an additional energetic demand that influences the movement solution.
If we layer in an applied neurology lens, is it possible to influence the nervous system in a way that changes the sensory and regulatory context, potentially reducing allostatic demand and allowing me to explore that tibial rotation beyond the “blind spot” I usually can’t access? Can we say something similar for physical tightness, where limitations might be influenced by a combination of the nervous system, allostatic load, and biomechanics?
I’m reminded of a phrase from Helen Hall: “Everything is right, it’s just incomplete.”
So my new beta process this month with myself first, and then with clients, is something like:
Biomechanical Assessment → What’s missing? → What might the nervous system be predicting about this movement? → Apply an applied neurology tool and see what changes → Reassess initial biomechanics → Change or No Change?
More to come.
