The movement system is a physiological body system in which the Physical Therapist is the specialist. It’s viewed as any other bodily system (like the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, etc…) and treatment involves movement!
A basic tenet of the movement system is that our repeated movements and sustained postures influence our musculoskeletal system and shape our relative stiffness and strength.
What is an example of a movement impairment?
One commonly seen example of movement impairment is shown above. All of us sit down and stand up several times daily, which is in essence, a functional squat. Generally, the photo shown on the left is a more optimal alignment/movement pattern. This person likely has more balanced strength & flexibility than the person on the right.
If the person on the right is also having pain moving between sit to stand (and other similar functional movements), then this movement should be directly addressed and become part of a PT treatment.
In keeping with the example above, we may also see this same individual habitually sit in a position similar to the picture shown below. This would be an example of the influence of static postures on the movement system. As this photo is somewhat of an exaggerated position, it’s easy to see how sitting this way for long stretches of time would contribute to further muscle imbalances.
PT treatment for this individual would include education on improved seated positioning, plus retraining of the functional squat or sit-to-stand pattern to minimize stress on the painful structures. This helps to reduce pain short term and hopefully form a more optimal movement pattern to prevent return of symptoms in the future. Treatment would also address deficits in mobility (joint or soft tissue) and neuromuscular control that are contributing factors to pain.
The above example shows suboptimal alignment; however a comprehensive evaluation helps to determine what an individual’s optimal movement pattern should be, tailored to them. For some individuals, the first picture shown of the squat motion (on the left) may not be ideal due to structural issues like tibial torsion or femoral version.
The best way to know what could be contributing to your pain is to seek care with a Physical Therapist that will take time to evaluate you and look at your daily movements and positions. Although the onset of pain might be sudden, unless there is a traumatic event that caused the injury/pain, it’s likely the result of stress over time relating to how we move.
Photos Sources:
https://thecharlotteathlete.com/top-5-reasons-knee-valgus-is-bad-for-you-and-1-reason-why-its-not/
https://www.triathlete.com/training/injury-prevention/triathletes-complete-guide-to-hip-mobility/