If we look at the body and compare it to a simple machine, we can see that it has many similarities:  it has moving parts that are designed for locomotion (ie. joints, muscles and ligaments), a fuel-distribution system providing energy to the system (circulation and digestion), an on-board computer to regulate all these systems (brain), and an electrical system to help connect the computer to the rest of the body (nervous system).  When everything is working properly, the human machine can be considered ‘healthy’. 

One of the most important, yet underappreciated components of our health is alignment.  Movement, balance, stability, strength and flexibility are all influenced by the alignment of the body.  Movement is essential to life, and is a critical component of our physiology.  Without movement, blood would not circulate, digestion would not occur, breathing would be impossible, and we would no longer be considered ambulatory.  Without movement, life as we know it would cease to exist, and if we were looking up our ranking on the evolutionary scale, we’d probably find ourselves positioned next to our nearest genetic cousin, the ordinary rock.  Movement and alignment, as you are about to read, are as critical to our health as air and water! 

Chiropractors have been touting the benefits of alignment with respect to our overall health and wellness for over a hundred years.  After reading this article, I’m hoping that the benefits of alignment will be well understood, and the shroud of mysticism surrounding the chiropractic adjustment will be lifted.  This article is the first in a series of articles dedicated to the benefits of alignment, and will be examining the role of alignment in the area of movement and locomotion.  Look for upcoming articles discussing the importance of alignment in other areas, such as visceral function, energy movement, and mind-body-spirit awareness!

Part I:  Locomotion and movement – a mechanical model.

First and foremost, proper alignment is important in the body when considering our necessity for movement and locomotion.  If we examine the role of alignment in the musculoskeletal system, we can compare the body to a machine with moving parts.  The alignment of these parts and how they relate to each other is crucial not only for functionality, but also serves to prevent premature mechanical breakdown from excessive wear and tear. 

Where two parts of any machine come together to form a joint, their alignment and construction will determine the functional movement patterns which are possible.  Consider the difference between your elbow and your hip.  Although both are considered to be in the same family (ie. synovial joints), their construction and alignment allows for very different functional movements – the elbow moves in a single plane (a hinge joint), whereas the hip allows for movement in a number of different planes (a ball-and-socket joint).  When we isolate any single moving joint, its functionality and the relationship to its alignment can be easily observed.  Change the alignment, and you will change the potential movement patterns that are possible, including the limitations to the joint’s range of motion.

When we examine any joint in the human body, however, we must first consider the fact that humans are constructed with over 350 joints!  And, when the body is placed in different positions, the function of any one joint will change depending upon its relationship to the position and function of any other joint located above or below it.  The alignment at the knee, for example, will be dependent upon the functional positioning and alignment of the ankle and the hip.  This relationship of multiple movable units in the body is also known as ‘the kinetic chain’.

Maintaining proper alignment along this kinetic chain will preserve the natural functional state of the joints in question.  The ease with which a joint is allowed to move will always be dependent upon its alignment, and this in turn will affect the muscles and other connective tissues surrounding the individual joints.  Muscles are positioned around a joint such that movement is facilitated in the easiest, most efficient manner.  Muscle contraction is, in turn, dependent upon the length at which the muscle starts contracting.  If the joint across which the muscle is positioned becomes misaligned, the length and tension in these muscles will be altered, and they will begin to lose their inherent functionality.  Loss of power, stability or flexibility around this joint will be the result, making this area prone to injury or strain.

Therefore, it is important that the concept of the kinetic chain be considered when faced with any number of painful conditions involving your joints.  On a countless number of occasions for example, I have observed where a new pain in a patient’s knee could be traced back to a long-standing misalignment problem they had with their foot.  Your chiropractor should take the time to examine your entire body in a number of different body positions, regardless of which area you feel is most painful.  This typically allows for a more thorough analysis of the functional relationship of one area of the body to all others, and is more likely to help determine the cause of the problem.  Chiropractors are well-versed in this whole-body philosophy, and although they are highly specialized in the anatomy and physiology of the joints in your spinal column, they are also very well educated in the mechanics of the entire body, and the interdependence of all its individual parts.

Not only does alignment play a role in the functionality of the body with respect to movement and locomotion, but it also enhances the longevity of the human ‘machine’.  Any time that two moving parts come together, there is a potential for friction between them.  If this friction is excessive, it can lead to an accelerated wear and tear of the moving parts, and in the human body, this kind of degeneration is called osteoarthritis.  Proper structural alignment, together with an adequate lubrication system, are the two main factors that help to minimize the effects of this potentially painful condition.  Natural alignment of the joints is provided by the surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments, whereas the lubrication system is provided by the encapsulated synovial fluid.  This fluid serves not only to cushion the joints, protecting them from extreme compressive loads, but it also provides the medium within which the nutrition and oxygen for the articular cartilage is delivered to the surface of the joints.  When joint movement is restricted or misaligned,  the natural circulation of this life-giving fluid is impeded, and degeneration of the joint surface is more likely.  As mentioned previously, and especially with respect to the joint cartilage, movement is life!

What happens when the joints go out of alignment?  Physical trauma (ie. acute sprains or strains) and chronic misalignment (ie. postural imbalance) are two very common causes for joint derangement.  Most of us will experience the effects of one, if not both, of these harmful conditions at some point in our lives.  Lucky for us, we possess a self-regulating repair system (the immune system) to correct for this damage and misalignment.  If our immune system is working properly, whenever we experience acute trauma, this will typically trigger a cascade of events knows as the inflammatory response where the area will appear swollen, red and sore.  If a person is mindful enough to get the proper rest and nutrition, however, this inflammatory response is short-lived (up to 72 hours), and these injuries are quick to recover. 

In cases where the stress and strain on the joint is too great, or if it occurs over a prolonged period, the body’s self-regulatory system may become overwhelmed, and may be insufficient to repair the problem on its own.  In cases such as this, it is recommended that you visit your local joint specialist (the chiropractor) in order to help facilitate recovery.  Your chiropractor will perform a number of specific tests to establish the cause of the problem, and if joints, muscles, nerves or connective tissues are involved, he or she is well-equipped to deal with the problem at hand.  If special tests or imaging studies are needed to be performed before treatment can begin, your chiropractor will be sure to refer you back to your family physician so you can be referred to the appropriate specialist.  Chiropractors are always willing to work with your health care team in order to ensure that your needs are best met.  Otherwise, if the chiropractor feels as though he or she can help you right away, a proper plan of management will be discussed with you, and treatments can be started immediately.

How long does it take to fix your misalignment?  There are a number of factors which will influence the number of treatment sessions required to make the specific repairs, and several of these may include (but are not limited to): the severity of the injury, the chronicity of the problem, the cause of the misalignment, and the number of different tissues involved.  Rest assured that your chiropractor will do everything they can to reduce your pain, accelerate your recovery, and give you advice for rehabilitation and ergonomic considerations so that you can maintain proper posture and alignment.

Remember:  as the twig is bent, so grows the tree.  Be mindful of your alignment, for small problems today could eventually lead to bigger problems in the future.  Tending to your smaller issues is easier, less costly, and more likely to result in complete resolution in a shorter period of time.  Consult with your favorite chiropractor to help you with all of your alignment issues – maintaining proper alignment will facilitate better movement patterns, and when you move better and easier, you improve your quality of life!  Check out future articles on alignment, and its impact on energy movement and conservation, as well as its effect on mind-body-spirit health and wellness.

This article was provide to me by one of our  Brican Team Chiropractors.