Primitive movement: 7 reasons to make it an everyday practice.

by sim | Apr 7, 2022 | Sensory Motor Control

Article

Primitive movement

7 reasons to make it an everyday practice.

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TLDR

Neurodevelopmental movement patterns are crucial for neurological development and appear in early infancy. These patterns play a vital role in establishing fundamental movement skills and are essential for maintaining mobility in aging adults. Regular engagement in these patterns stimulates cognitive processes, preserves cognitive function, and promotes neuroplasticity and adaptability. Reinforcing these patterns can improve joint health and flexibility, prevent falls, and support better posture and alignment. Incorporating these patterns into daily routines can contribute to an overall sense of well-being and lead to a more active, independent, and fulfilling aging experience.

A matter of functional reasoning:

Neurodevelopmental movement patterns, also known as primitive reflexes, are automatic movements that appear in early infancy and are vital for neurological development. These reflexes are present at birth and necessary for developing more complex motor skills. Integration of these reflexes is essential for properly developing motor coordination, balance, and sensory processing. These patterns are deeply embedded in our DNA and form the basis of our posture, balance, coordination, and emotional regulation, providing valuable insight into our development and unlocking our body’s potential. Neurodevelopmental patterns are critical for the aging body because they are fundamental in maintaining and enhancing overall physical and cognitive function.

These patterns are the foundation of movement and motor skills developed during early life, and their significance persists throughout the aging process for several reasons:

Preservation of Mobility:

Neurodevelopmental patterns contribute to the establishment of fundamental movement skills. Maintaining mobility becomes essential for independent living and overall well-being as individuals age. These patterns are the basis for coordination, balance, and flexibility, helping older adults sustain mobility and prevent immobility-related issues.

Fall Prevention:

Many neurodevelopmental patterns focus on activities that improve balance and coordination. These skills are critical for preventing falls, a common concern in the elderly population. By reinforcing these patterns, older adults can enhance their proprioception and reduce the risk of falls, which can lead to severe injuries.

Posture and Alignment:

Proper posture and body alignment are emphasized in neurodevelopmental patterns. As individuals age, posture issues can arise, leading to discomfort and a higher likelihood of injuries. By reinforcing these patterns, older adults can support better posture, reducing strain on the musculoskeletal system.

Enhanced Well-Being:

The physical and cognitive benefits of neurodevelopmental patterns contribute to overall well-being. By incorporating these patterns into regular routines, older adults can experience improved mood, reduced stress, and a greater sense of accomplishment, positively influencing their mental and emotional health.

Cognitive Function:

The practice of neurodevelopmental movement patterns involves coordination between the body and the brain. Regular engagement in these patterns stimulates cognitive processes, including memory, attention, and spatial awareness. For aging individuals, preserving cognitive function is vital for mental acuity and a higher quality of life.

Joint Health and Flexibility:

Neurodevelopmental movements often involve a range of joint motions. Engaging in these patterns promotes joint health and flexibility. This is particularly important for aging individuals who may experience joint stiffness or conditions such as arthritis. Maintaining flexibility supports overall joint function and minimizes the risk of discomfort and injury.

Neuroplasticity and Adaptability:

Regular engagement in neurodevelopmental patterns stimulates neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections. This is particularly relevant for the aging brain, as it supports ongoing learning, memory retention, and adaptation to changing circumstances.

Designing a daily routine to practice neurodevelopmental movement patterns can contribute significantly to overall well-being, enhancing physical and cognitive functions.

Below is a sample daily routine that incorporates various neurodevelopmental patterns:

Morning Routine:

Wake-Up Stretch (10 minutes):

Begin the day with gentle stretches to wake up the muscles and promote flexibility. Focus on elongating the spine, reaching overhead, and incorporating controlled breathing.

Balance Exercises (12 minutes):

Perform balance exercises to improve stability. Stand on one leg for 30 seconds and switch, gradually increasing the duration over time. Include heel-to-toe walking to enhance proprioception.

Joint Mobilization (10 minutes):

Engage in joint mobilization exercises to promote joint health. Perform controlled circular motions with wrists, ankles, and shoulders.

Midday Break:

Brain-Body Coordination Games (15 minutes):

Play interactive games that involve both physical movement and cognitive engagement. Examples include dance-based games, instrument playing, drumming, or any balance exercise in your toolbox.

Evening relaxation

Evening Relaxation:

Yoga or Tai Chi, Stilness, Meditation (30-60 minutes):

Practice yoga, Tai Chi, or Meditation to promote relaxation and flexibility. Focus on controlled, flowing movements and mindful breathing.

Evening relaxation

Before Bed:

Mindful Stretching (10 minutes):

Engage in gentle stretching to relax muscles before bedtime. Pay attention to areas of tension and aim for a calm, focused stretching routine.

Remember, the goal is to create a routine that combines a variety of neurodevelopmental patterns to promote physical health, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Feel free to customize the routine based on individual preferences and incorporate activities that bring joy and satisfaction.

Additional Tips:

Consistency is Key: Aim to perform these activities consistently each day to maximize their benefits.

Progress Gradually: Start with shorter durations and gradually increase the time as your comfort and ability levels improve.

Modify as Needed: Adapt the routine based on personal preferences, fitness levels, and any specific health considerations.

Stay Hydrated: Drink water throughout the day to support overall health and hydration.

Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body responds to different movements and adjust accordingly.

“Neurodevelopmental patterns are the foundational brushstrokes on the canvas of human movement, each telling a unique story of our early development and potential for growth.”

What activities can help stimulate neuroplasticity and why?

by sim | Apr 7, 2022 | Sensory Motor Control

The main goal of stimulating neuroplasticity through movement play is to promote sensory-motor control and spatial awareness, boost memory and brain cognition, and decelerate the rate of mental and physical health deterioration. Many activities can help promote neuroplasticity, from learning new skills to traveling, being in nature, making art, and even working. The common factor among these activities is that they require activating areas of the brain responsible for creating new neural connections or pathways, engaging our visual, auditory, and motor cortexes, stimulating memory and cognition, and, more importantly, influencing our emotions and state of being. The key is to find those activities that positively impact how we feel and help stimulate long-lasting physical and mental health changes.

Movement is a behavior; it is a pattern of thinking about HOW we do something. Remember, only a conscious effort can change that behavior.

To learn more about the science of movement & start changing how you think about the way you move, visit us at www.spiralsinmotion.com or email us at info@spiralsinmotion.com.

More about Concentration

by sim | Sep 29, 2016 | Sensory Motor Control

We know that this will help you to increase your knowledge, but if you want to take your training to the next level don’t hesitate in contacting us to help you implement all these techniques!

Let’s remember, why is concentration important?

Concentration and focus allow you to take all your energy and place it on the one thing you’re doing at that moment. Usually, your energy is placed into multiple things at once, for example, multitasking or unconsciously thinking about all the things you have to do tomorrow. Good focus and concentration allow you to live more efficiently and have a positive mindset in both training and daily life. Focusing your mind is important, as your training and competition especially will be negatively impacted if your thoughts stray from what you are supposed to be doing. A lack of mental focus can lead to mistakes, injury, and inefficiency. What are some ways in which we can help improve our concentration and focus?

There are tasks and exercises solely to improving concentration, which can be applied in a multitude of ways. These tasks and exercises can be applied to different situations depending on what your goals are.
Here is one exercise to recognize when you lose concentration. It is a counting exercise. In this case, we will apply it to a training scenario: you are running on a treadmill, count your steps until you mess up or lose count. When did you lose count? Why did you lose count? What did you start thinking about? Was it something in your environment? Was it your thoughts that strayed to something you’re worried about?
Everyone is different so it is up to you to recognize when you lose concentration and look at the reason why.
You next need to establish coping mechanisms. The goal of your coping mechanisms is to either remove distractions from your life or look beyond them. It is important to establish your own mechanisms, as one person’s coping mechanisms will not work for another.

What are the benefits of concentration and being focused in our daily life and during training?

Time management: being able to get everything done in a timely manner is important because if you are unable to manage time you will be unable to function efficiently and effectively in your daily life, during training, and in competition.
Task completion: whether it’s finishing a training session or completing what you need to get done that day with better focus you will not stray from the task at hand until it’s completed. Without focus important tasks will be left unfinished and insufficiently completed.
Mental sharpness: improved ability to intake information quickly and efficiently to learn at a higher speed. This can allow you to train at higher levels, as you are able to quickly adapt to new ways of training. This can also prevent sloppy training that would lead to injury
Removal of negative thoughts: through focus and concentration your mind can eradicate your negative thoughts and attitudes that infringe upon and negatively impact your everyday life, training, and competition
Higher energy: with improved focus you will not suddenly have more energy, however, you will have the ability to take the energy you put into multiple things and instead focus it onto one thing at a time, improving the quality of work, efficiency, and overall performance.

To learn more about the science of movement & start changing how you think about the way you move visit us at www.spiralsinmotion.com or call us at 718-308-1876. Thanks for reading!

Getting Over An Injury

by sim | Aug 29, 2016 | Sensory Motor Control

Getting over an injury can be hard.

Those who will undergo a long period of therapy or restriction of regular training and movements often come to lack dedication and motivation while undergoing treatment. Because of this often the healing process takes longer than it should. In our August newsletter we are going to answer some frequently asked questions about the services we offer for getting over an injury along with some general questions to aid you in remaining motivated despite any setbacks you may encounter.

What are the services that Integrated Motion offers for those who are getting over an injury or looking for treatment?

Integrated motion offers movement assistance at all injuries stages. Our experience combined with our IMPT method and our focus place on an individuals concerns will help us to provide you with the most effective service. If you are trying to get over an injury, we will provide you with guided movement facilitation to help you develop the balance, flexibility, strength, and range of motion that restore the affected tissues in your body. Depending on your specific case we can also provide exercise therapy for better posture and spine alignment. Another service we offer is 3D movement analysis to keep track of your progress as we work on getting you back to where you were before being injured and even beyond.

How are these services unique to what I would find at another practice?

We don’t only draw movement sessions based on your improvement and necessities, but also include a preventive component. Our goal is that you make every movement count therefore at the same time we help you to heal and recover we want to create a very strong base that will help you to decrease the likelihood of injuries in the future.

What is considered the normal timeline for healing an injury?

Each injury should be treated based on what the individual is undergoing. Some injuries may just take a few weeks to heal while others could be worked on for years. There is no normal timeline as all injuries are different. A sprained ankle isn’t going to be treated the same as a sever muscle imbalance or a torn ACL. Every individual is going to heal at different rates and experience different successes and setbacks while healing. There is no “normal” timeline.

Healing from an injury can be long process, how do I remain motivated?

First, find success in the small victories. Note your increase balance, flexibility, mobility and the specific things you’re focusing on. Don’t get caught up in trying to become perfectly healthy again because you will lose focus on the training and therapy that is necessary to help you recover.While you shouldn’t get caught up in the long journey you are making to health you should certainly set long term goals and plan for what you will do once you are at your prime again. This will help you remain motivated beyond just the work that you are currently putting in to heal your injury. An important thing to note is that while motivation is powerful you also need to recognize your limits and know when to stop pushing yourself so that you don’t injure yourself further before you are fully healed.

Then, what are some things I should focus on during my rehabilitation process?

Don’t forget the mental component of rehabilitation. We recommend our clients to facilitate that process is by mindfully improving awareness. Consciously tell yourself as many times as necessary that you will overcome the injury no matter how difficult or hard it may seem.
Be patient, tell yourself it will all be okay! Continue ahead and understand your injury as well as the rehabilitation process with the help of your injury rehabilitation specialist. Be positive!
Learn how to move rather than just following the exercise. Practice the movement patterns slowly and with full control.
Practice adequate breathing. The one thing we cannot live without is air, therefore proper breathing during injury rehab is just as essential as the exercises themselves.
Explore different rehabilitation alternatives until you find balance between all the components mentioned above and this will lead to a faster and more effective recovery.

To learn more about the science of movement & start making every movement count visit us at www.spiralsinmotion.com or call us at 917 392 4678.

Thanks for reading!

Knowing Your Body: Motion Types

by sim | Jul 21, 2016 | Sensory Motor Control

While this may have been presented to you in a highly complex way in the past, our goal is to show the value in simple mechanics so that you understand the why behind the how.

Knowing how your body moves is the first step in being more efficient and getting the fitness results you want in a shorter amount of time.

When we provide you with easy explanations of complex concepts our practice succeeds in staying with you even when you are not at the gym. We don’t only want to teach you how to move, but we want to show you why. This month’s newsletter is going to explain basic movement concepts to give you some tools to start moving smarter today.

We have three main motion types that we use at our practice: linear motion, rotational motion and curvilinear motion. Each motion type uses different muscles, joints and tendons thus each movement type is more commonly used with specific sports and actions. Each motion type is not used singularly rather a combination of all these motion types provides symmetry and balance in our movements both in training and in everyday life.

Linear motion

This motion type includes motions that are considered “front to back” or “up and down” and occur in a straight line.In daily life these motions occur frequently as we move from sitting to standing, pull to open a door, pick a box off the floor. Linear motions occur during exercise when we squat, deadlift, bench press or overhead press to name a few. Some examples of linear motions in sports include, running, shooting a basketball, and cycling.

Rotational motion

Rotational motion is categorized as having movements that are “side to side” and involve a joint rotation. Instead of focusing on moving the body in straight lines this movement type focuses on rotating over the joint’s own axis.A common injury that is caused by this kind of motion includes tendinitis from overuse in different parts of the body. The specific injury depends on the motion, which means that injuries differ from person to person depending on their activities. For example, swimmers suffer of shoulder tendinitis caused by overuse due to the high volume of rotational movements in the various swimming strokes.

Some examples of rotational movements in your day-to-day life include head rotation and wrist rotation to look at your watch or cell phone. In sports, however, this type of movement is more common. Sports such as swimming, running, and even playing soccer include this kind of motion. Think of it as the rotation over a joint without the intention of displacing the line the body forms when straight. For example, when you are swimming you clearly see a hip rotation when the swimmer is using one arm over the other to move forward.

Curvilinear motion:

Curvilinear motion is a combination of linear and rotational. It includes movements that are more complex and commonly used by all of us. This kind of movement is based on rotational movements that create a linear movement to look for a further movement. For example, when you walk your legs are making a linear movement, but the source of the movement, which are your hips, are constantly rotating over their own axis.Common injuries of this motion include tendinitis, extremely contracted movements, and even body compensations, which can lead to more serious injuries.

Some specific examples to better understand this kind of movement in sports are using a golf stick, dancing, swimming, or even throwing a baseball ball.

Then, how can you remember and apply all this?

Follow the steps on the list for at least one activity per day and by the end of one month you will be a new person.

Identify the movement you are performing and watch your posture.
Think about common injuries of this movement: Why are they caused? How could you prevent them?
Visualize the efficient and proper movement (Always keep alignment)
Change your habits: Create a routine that will correct the mistakes o the movement you are performing.