Is your normal healthy?
What is normal
Whatever happens to us or whichever way we move, sit and stand over time becomes our normal.
But just because we are used to doing things in a certain way which feels established and normal or even appropriate, doesn’t mean that it is healthy.
Let’s take a person who is used to standing with their feet turned out for example. For them this feels normal. Their nervous system has gotten used to that posture and their body has adapted to it. So it feels natural and comfortable. For that person positioning the feet parallel to one another will most likely feel wrong, as if they are out of proper alignment. And it will definitely be uncomfortable. They will be tempted to get into their usual posture and invariably will.
Is it healthy
But that doesn’t mean that having the feet turned out is healthy for them. In fact, walking and standing this way is putting a big strain on the body that goes unnoticed because we have become accustomed to it. It changes our body mechanics, some muscles work extra and some are underused, there is unhealthy load the knees. Ultimately, turning out the feet weakens our body’s support structure making us prone to injuries and pain.
The danger of normalisation and what can we do about it
When something becomes normal we stop noticing and questioning it. That’s the danger of normalisation, we become blind to what actually is.
And you can’t change what you can’t see.
Here is where embodiment modalities like yoga and massage become so useful and important. They invite us to feel differently and move differently. They challenge us to make other choices, explore and experiment. To step into the change. They bring us back to our bodies and to our physical experiences which over time grows our awareness and our ability to change. Moreover, to change mindfully, consciously and purposefully.
Related articles:
When is a good time to start thinking about your posture? It’s earlier than you think
How can we move better
Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash
