According to the NY Times, we all have movement signatures; can this be why we hurt? The NY Times recently published an article called Something in the way we move. The Journal of Applied physiology recently published a paper authored by French and Australian researchers who developed algorithms to determine whether individual movement patterns exist that are unique to us. 80 healthy men and women of different physiques were studied in a human performance lab while they biked and walked on a treadmill. They were hooked up to electrodes to help the scientists develop the data from each participant. The algorithms were able to identify certain movement signatures unique to each individual. Incidentally, one surveillance company has developed software to capture and identify people according to their gaits. This same idea may be why some of us hurt and why some of us walk and move more smoothly than others. This idea was discussed in the book Cheating Mother Nature, what you need to know to beat chronic pain which was published in 2011. Why we hurt has to do with how we move. We inherit our traits, our body style and we are constantly adapting to our developing bodies, our unique body mechanics and the brain is memorizing these patterns and adapting as well. The fascial system which adapts to how we move against gravity may actually cause us to hurt if we are asymmetrically built. Most of us with chronic pain have adapted poorly and developed mechanical issues that are a result of how we move. The current model of pain and a specialist who looks at that joint drives healthcare costs because a shoulder problem, for instance, may actually begin as a chronic problem with the way you walk. Studies now show that the treatment of chronic joint pain with medication can be addictive as in the case of opioids, and the idea behind injecting a painful joint with cortisone may actually damage a joint worse than we previously understood. The damage due to cortisone may be due to both the cortisone and the fact that a joint that is chronically irritated may feel better by reducing the inflammation surrounding it, but the mechanism that irritated it originally can continue to damage the joint. Perhaps, this is why so many patients who have had plantar fasciitis develop hip and knee problems years later; the cause of the problem was never addressed. So many people who have had arthroscopic surgery for a meniscus tear of the knee had surgery, then a second and finally a knee replacement because the cause was never addressed. Movement is holistic and there is growing evidence that a lack of movement or a poor movement pattern is why we hurt and why osteoarthritis develops. Seeing a provider who understands movement and uses a movement-based approach to examine and treat a patient in pain can be far safer and effective than pain management which attempts to deaden nerves or reduce pain medicinally. For joint pain, see a chiropractor first; naturally. If you were to go to the park and watch people walking, it is unlikely you will see a back or a hip or a knee walking around. On the other hand, it is more likely that you will see people with different body styles and gait types that are individual to them. Some of them may be rocking side to side or limping and not have any pain or understanding that they walk that way. These observations are behind the recent NY Times article. The chiropractic approach is unique in that it is holistic in its approach, meaning that chiropractors improve the way you move by addressing your gait, your feet, body asymmetries, the fascial system, and the joints. When joint movement is compromised and causes strains to the lower back, upper back, shoulders, legs, knees, hips, and feet, people develop pain. Most people will describe an incident or an event when they began to hurt. A chiropractor will dig for facts and know what questions to ask while taking your history to better understand why you hurt. Chiropractors will look at the way you move and improve function through the use of joint manipulation, soft tissue methods and exercises to help retrain poor movement patterns that have been memorized over the years by your brain. They are less likely to order diagnostic imaging since many of their patients feel and function better eliminating the need for advanced diagnostics which can be costly and lead to avoidable medical interventions that can be risky. They may suggest foot orthotics to level your hips which improves how you move and function. Chiropractors are primary care for the musculoskeletal system and are sometimes referred to as primary spine. Chiropractors avoid the use of medication and instead improve movement naturally which improves the way you feel and move. Improved movement patterns will help improve the quality of your life. Active lifestyles that are pain-free are important to cardiovascular health as well. Feel better in as little as one visit. Charschan Chiropractic is located in both North Brunswick and Scotch Plains NJ. Call today for a better way to get out of pain.