History of the body...

I, like trainers do, ask all my new clients about their injury history.  Yes, I really do want to know about that time someone broke their arm on the monkey bars in third grade.  I want to know about the car crash, the back surgery, the sprained ankles, and that thing with the shoulder.

I also ask about exercise history.   Ballet?  Football?  Both?  Tennis?  Weights?  Curling?  Track team?  Champion couch sitter?

This is because bodies remember.

That third grade broken arm or sprained ankle changed movement, caused adjustments in posture and gait, altered the sense of where the body is in the world.  Even after something has healed, the changes can linger on, manifesting in balance being easier on one side, or form causing more of a problem on another.  That early experience with sport or movement (or lack thereof) has also left motor memories in the tissues.  Some muscles will be more developed, some movements will come easier because of that training.

I need to work with the body in front of me.  I will observe closely, of course, but knowing the background helps.

It also means that what we do today will remain in the body in the future.  That’s good news!