Inactivity and muscle imbalance

Muscle imbalance is a real culprit in shoulder and back injuries. An example is a tight hamstring which may pull your pelvis down and change the position of your back making it lose its optimal alignment. Increase forces at your low back will raise your chances of injury. General inactivity leads to muscle tightness, shortens muscles and decreases flexibility. The effect is the same for anybody undergoing a lot or rigid training with heavy weights. To prevent the onset of muscle tightness one needs to create a good exercise program and a good diet plan for well being. The diet I recommend that really monitors your glucose level is the Zone Diet. The exercise I recommend that won’t create more pain for your body is plain stretching.

Stretching is a good form of exercise for people who find it difficult to commit to strength training programs. Stretching maximizes the length of the muscle but does not changes the body’s skeletal alignment condition. Tight muscles are a result of poor posture like sitting with a slumped, forward head posture and a forward shoulder posture. This posture leads to tight pectoral muscles. Please be aware that sitting for extended hours leads to shortened hip flexors as well as shortened hamstrings. Muscles related to back and neck problems can lead to tight muscles and can stay tight for a prolonged period of time. This is due to an irritation in the spinal joints or nerve roots.

Reference:

Howard, F. et al (2000). Pelvic pain diagnosis and managemen. Philadelphia, PA: Lipincott Williams & Willkins.

Musnick, D. & Pierce, M. (2004). Conditioning for outdoor fitness: functional exercise and nutrition for everybody 2^nd edition. Seattle, WA: The Mountaineers Books.