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PRINCIPLES OF MUSCULO-SKELETAL DYSFUNCTION

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction is eminently fixable.

The pain you're experiencing is telling you that something is wrong. Your body is out of alignment. Fix it!

Fix small problems before they become big problems. Don't just mask the symptom. All that does is cover up the fact that the dysfunction is getting worse. Then it becomes a big problem, a big inconvenience, a big pain and a big expense.

Musculo-skeletal dysfunction goes with a body that is generally in poor condition. For many people a good physical conditioning program, one which includes the aerobic, strength and flexibility elements of fitness will restore function to normal in a short period of time.

Every dysfunction has a cause. Find the cause and treat it and you're likely to fix the dysfunction. Musculo-skeletal dysfunction rarely comes 'out of the blue'. It's asking a bit too much to keep blaming bad luck. There is a cause. If you don't find the cause your search for the cure is just than more difficult.

If you can't work out the cause yourself, and it is often difficult to analyze your own posture, go to someone who can, someone who has a good eye for spotting misalignment, someone who can give you a thorough postural assessment. This may be a physiotherapist, osteopath or physical educator, but certainly make sure it is someone who has a good reputation in the field of postural analysis.

The most likely cause is misuse of one sort or another, usually over a long period of time. If you've spent 20 or more years sitting down at a desk all day and don't have a regular and systematic strength, flexibility and postural alignment program, if you don't already have it you can be certain that you're on the way to musculo-skeletal dysfunction.

Getting someone to give you an anti-inflammatory tablet and a rub down might give you a warm feeling for a couple of hours but it won't provide the long term fix which comes with strengthening and loosening the muscles which have taken bones out of alignment.

Most big problems start of as small problems that you don't address.

Bones do what muscles tell them to do. If you have joint pain, the pain is telling you that the muscles supporting the joint are not doing their job properly. The pain is telling you to do something to strengthen, loosen and realign the bones on either side of the joint.

Treat joint and muscle pain as a symptom of dysfunction not a cause.

The cause of the pain is rarely at the site of the pain (trauma excepted).

Most people have slight postural imperfections which end up causing pain in other parts of their body. You can spot these imperfections quite easily;

• feet splayed out

• heels leaning in

• knees knocked in or out

• one shoulder lower than the other

• backs of the hands facing forwards in the gorilla posture ...

The postural imperfections are magnified and exacerbated by such things as slouching over the computer, holding the phone between ear and shoulder, by hand and foot dominance in the sports most regularly played.

Get the muscles working properly and there is a good chance the bones will come back into alignment and correct function will be restored. How you can expect to get better without a good strength and flexibility program beats me!

An X-ray and an MRI scan are probably less useful tools for the diagnosis of the cause of your dysfunction than a still or video camera. The latter two will more likely provide you with graphic illustration of the nature of your dysfunction.

It's not the chair, it's how you sit in it. Once you habitually change the natural 'S' curve of your spine into an habitual 'C' curve you're setting yourself up for musculo-skeletal dysfunction. Misalignment is a fair bet.

If muscles are not getting stronger they're getting weaker. If they're not getting looser they're getting tighter. People without a regular and systematic strength and flexibility program run the risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction.

It's a big ask expecting your body to get better by having someone do something to you. Soon or later you have to do something to yourself - like the exercises which strengthen, loosen and bring the body back into correct alignment.

Don't leave it to a therapist to take full responsibility for your dysfunction. Do something to yourself, like strengthening, stretching and managing your posture better, there is a good chance it will get better. The therapy will help.

You're wasting your time going to therapists who don't do their level best to determine the likely cause of your dysfunction and who don't attempt to affect a cure. An anti-inflammatory, a rub down, a muscle relaxant and an electric shock are unlikely to cure your dysfunction!

Some therapies when used on their own only provide temporary relief from the symptoms and are not aimed at fixing the underlying cause of the dysfunction.

It is poor form for someone to do something to you without giving you some insight as to what has caused your dysfunction and without supplying you with exercises to go with the therapy.

It is an advanced case of stupidity not to do the exercises that a good therapist will provide.

Stretching is necessary but not sufficient. You need to strengthen the muscles which support your body in correct alignment, with specific strength exercises as well as the general exercises that come as part of a regular and systematic strength training program.

Nutritional supplementation may make a significant contribution to easing joint and muscle pain. I've heard good reports about glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, brassica juncea and vitamin B5.

Use a wide range of modalities, regularly and intensively to speed up the rehabilitation process. Most people spend less time in ten years than an elite athlete would spend in a week. That's why they never get better.

Stacking a range of modalities up one on top of the other may lead to a speedy recovery. This is what sports people do: - ice, heat, strength, stretch, physio, acupuncture, massage, walk ... morning tea, then ice, heat, strength, stretch ... lunch, then ice, heat, strength, stretch ... afternoon tea ...

If you're on workers compensation for musculo-skeletal dysfunction, treat the rehabilitation process as a full time job. If you're used to spending eight hours at work, spend eight hours doing what athletes do to get better quicker.

The US Surgeon General hit the nail on the head in 1978 when he said 'You, the individual, can do more for your own health and well-being than any doctor, any hospital, any drug, any exotic advice.'