BE PROUD: WE ARE ALL SPECIAL
As mentioned in Section 1 under Objectives vs Subjectives, the Human Genome Project found that every human being shares 99.9% of the same DNA [1][2], this is the objective and defines us as the human species. This may seem a lot but when you consider that Chimps and Bonobos (2 species of the Chimpanzee), the closest relatives to humans, share 96-98.7% of DNA with us[3][4], leaving just 1.2-3.9% to separate us meaning there is actually very little which determines the human species, so we are all pretty special. Furthermore, remember the Bill Bryson quote from the Platform Menu page, well we think it fits perfectly here,
"It is a slightly arresting notion that if you were to pick yourself apart with tweezers, one atom at a time, you would produce a mound of fine atomic dust, none which had ever been alive but all of which had once been you."[5][6]
This quote does not only apply to humans, but every other living thing, break anything down enough and you will simply find a cocktail of chemical elements and nothing else. We all share a great deal not only as a species ourselves, but with other animals and nature as a whole, highlighting the importance of how special every life is.
So sharing 99.9% of DNA, the remaining 0.1% is what makes you 'you', helping to define you as an individual in your own right, and forming part of your subjectives including characteristics and personality. Our bodies all vary somewhat, some are passed down to us genetically, but some we develop post birth, meaning our development is both nature and nurture, the fact that it could be one more than the other is becoming increasingly null. Therefore, whilst we are all special as a species as we share so much, we are all special as individuals too as we are all unique. So no matter your gender or religious beliefs, or the colour of your skin, eyes, or hair, whether you enjoy reading and/or sport/s, preference to be an extrovert or introvert, or a bit of both, be proud to be you because we are ALL individuals that just need to be understood. So whilst we are all the same, our bodies can vary and we all have different interests and passions, and as long as they are morally correct and do not hurt you or anyone else, there is no reason why you should not enjoy taking part and/or doing something that makes you happy, and there is no reason why you should be judged for that either. Be happy by doing what makes you happy - simple!
The issue we have here is that many people are afraid to be themselves, scared to enjoy what makes them happy, you may be one of them, because you are afraid to be judged negatively. Pretty much every individual has at least one insecurity about being themselves, whether that is something they enjoy partaking in, or the way they look, and sadly many go onto change themselves, even aesthetically via cosmetic practices including surgery. This is not saying that all reconstructive surgeries are unnecessary, as they can be very beneficial when it relates to health including trauma, and rather we are saying that you are not alone, we may not all share the same insecurities, but we all have at least one. So as above, ensuring it is morally correct, there is no reason to feel shame or embarrassment, after all, it is difficult to stand out in the crowd of the human population if you blend in so dare to enjoy what makes you smile from the inside out and enjoy being who you are. Sometimes all it takes is finding some likeminded people who make you feel less judged when being yourself, and who make you a better person, this is much easier than wanting to be loved and accepted by everyone as not only is that lonely, but it's exhausting too. Sadly some people's passions and interests mean they are faced with a battle, particularly when it comes to improving society as a whole but imagine if the honorable Nelson Mandela didn't dare stand up against racism in the way he did, and gave in feeling the fight was too much? He stuck to his beliefs and kept his integrity despite everything he faced, knowing he was doing a good thing, and his passion meant he got noticed, and people of all races proudly stood with him in support. The adversity is that sometimes, what is deemed morally correct in certain types of societies, it is not accepted in others, and if such beliefs are held strongly, people often end up judging others for something they simply do not understand enough about. Placing labels is a prime example as modern society seems to feel the need to # everything, with even the term 'flexitarian' being used for those who eat meals with and without meat, and whilst this can help people find community, it can also do the opposite by increasing segregation, and some even feel the need to impose their choices on others rather than letting people choose for themselves. If the world was even a bit more compassionate towards each other, it would be a much happier place for us all.
A relatively easy argument for a more compassionate society is that we must learn to become more compassionate towards ourselves, mentally and physically, as some of, if not all of the most successful battles start with facing the issues within first. Accepting ourselves for who we are naturally makes us more compassionate in accepting others for who they are too, thus feeling free within yourself makes you feel in control of yourself, making the the need to control other parts of your life less. A well known chocolate wafer has been promoting it for years, but when was the last time you gave yourself a break, and felt more compassionate towards your insecurities? If we can learn to accept ourselves for who we are, then it is much easier to accept others for who they are. The song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sun Screen)" by Baz Luhrmann is very apt here, and if you haven't heard it yet, we highly recommend listening to it, because he shares some very helpful wisdom in it which complies here.
PAIN - HYPERMOBILITY - PERFORMANCE - BREATHING PATTERNS - TMJ (JAW) WORK
FASCIA - BIOTENSEGRITY - RECOVERY - SINUSES - REHAB/PREHAB - ANATOMY TRAINS - STRESS
MEDICAL CONDITIONS - INJURIES - HEALTH - ALIGNMENT - BIOMECHANICS - POSTURE
SPORT - REMEDIAL - PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES - MAINTENANCE - HOMEOSTASIS
- BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE BY SEEING THE BEST -
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PERFORMANCE SOFT TISSUE THERAPY
SPORT AND REMEDIAL MASSAGE
(BTEC LEVEL 5)
SPECIALTIES: PERFORMANCE (SPORT AND ARTS), HYPERMOBILITY, PAIN AND RESPIRATORY
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE SMA (EAST ANGLIA AND EAST MIDLANDS) - SPORTS MASSAGE ASSOCIATION
Know Your Body
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SECTION 1
INCREASING AWARENESS
Kim does assessments in every treatment, adapting each assessment for each client depending on the requirements. It is vital to understand what needs to be corrected to ensure consistent improvement, and both objective and subjective elements are taken into account.
OBJECTIVE: impartial, indifferent, unbiased and based on facts. In the context of this platform, objective means optimum alignment, with consideration for postural and biomechanical equilibrium and orientation.
Examples: good physical health such as no aches or pains, good mental health such as no extreme lows. An objective goal is generic, for example, completing a task in a certain amount of time and comparing results to others who have also completed the task such as a public exam.
SUBJECTIVE: specific to you based on one’s nature and nurture.
Examples: pronation/supination, valgus/varus, spinal devitation such as kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis and torticollis, jaw misalignment including occlusion, dominant arm/leg, leg length difference, and stressful triggers. A subjective goal is specific to you, for example, correcting pronation/supination, or completing a specific task in a certain amount of time and comparing results to your past achievements to look for individual improvements.
DID YOU KNOW...
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Every human body is made of the same chemicals and minerals, and an individuals nature such as genes, and nurture such as schemas, determines how those chemicals and minerals work together. We are all the same, and we are all different, so understanding both objective and subjective concepts regarding YOU is vital for YOU to move optimally.
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SUBJECTIVES BASED ON OBJECTIVES.SO IMPROVE YOUR SUBJECTIVES TO IMPROVE YOUR OBJECTIVES.
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Did you know Usain Bolt has scoliosis? Check out his biography for more info on this specifically. Scoliosis is where the spine curves to the left and/or right, thus the components of the spine do not sit on top of each other to form a straight line. However, he went on to achieve great things, claiming 19 Guinness World Records, 8 Olympic Gold Medals and is the only sprinter so far to win titles in Olympic 100m and 200m athletics at three consecutive Olympics. Usain Bolt is just one example of how you can make your body work for you, so never say never and see what you can achieve.
TRY FOR YOURSELF
To start you off, spend a day or 2 becoming more aware about how you use your body. Standing still requires postural orientation and equilibrium just as much as movement, so no matter what you do, think about how you are doing it!
Start looking at your body the same way as Kim would begin assessing you. Your posture can say a thousand things, what is your's saying?
Here are some things to think about. Make a note of what you find using the options below, make sure to answer honestly as this will help at the end!
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Do you use your big toes? Or is there more pressure in the balls of your feet?
YES NO NOT SURE
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Is there more pressure on the outside or inside of your foot?
INSIDE OUTSIDE NEITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE NOT SURE
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Are your feet rotated in, straight or rotated out?
LEFT FOOT: IN STRAIGHT OUT
RIGHT FOOT: IN STRAIGHT OUT
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When you breathe in and out, what moves the most? Your gut, ribcage or collar bones?
GUT RIBCAGE COLLAR BONES NOT SURE
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Do you use ALL your fingers in grip, not just your thumb and index finger?
LEFT HAND: ALL FINGERS INDEX FINGER AND THUMB LAST THREE FINGERS
RIGHT HAND: ALL FINGERS INDEX FINGER AND THUMB LAST THREE FINGERS
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Do you keep your shoulder blades back and down?
YES NO NOT SURE
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Do you prefer to chew on one side of your mouth? (Use a mirror or a family member/friend to help)
CHEW TO THE LEFT STRAIGHT CHEW TO THE RIGHT NOT SURE
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Do you clench and/or grind your teeth?
CLENCH TEETH/JAW GRIND TEETH NEITHER NOT SURE
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Where are your ears in standing compared to your ankles? Infront, aligned, or behind? (Use a family member/friend to help)
INFRONT ALIGNED BEHIND NOT SURE
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Can you touch your waistline with your elbows with ease?
LEFT ARM: YES NO NOT SURE
RIGHT ARM: YES NO NOT SURE
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Do you hyperextend your knees? Look for crinkled skin at the top of the knee, and no slight bend at the knee.
LEFT KNEE: YES NO NOT SURE
RIGHT KNEE: YES NO NOT SURE
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Is one or both knees rotated in, straight or rotated out? The patella, a sesamoid bone which lies in the tendon of the quad muscles and sits at the front of the knee – what direction is it pointing? And is it the same, more or less than the feet?
LEFT KNEE: IN STRAIGHT OUT NOT SURE * KNEE MORE THAN FOOT KNEE SAME AS FOOT KNEE LESS THAN FOOT
RIGHT KNEE: IN STRAIGHT OUT NOT SURE * KNEE MORE THAN FOOT KNEE SAME AS FOOT KNEE LESS THAN FOOT
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Are your quads (front of the upper leg) bigger or smaller than your hamstrings (back of the upper leg)?
QUADS BIGGER HAMSTRINGS BIGGER SAME SIZE NOT SURE
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Are you particularly tight in one or more areas of your body?
YES, IF SO, WHERE..........................................................................................................................
EVERYWHERE
NO TENSION ANYWHERE
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In standing rock back and forth from toes to heel and see what you feel.
BALANCED
UNBALANCED
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Do you find stretching particularly easy or difficult?
EASY DIFFICULT DEPENDS ON WHAT PART OF THE BODY DEPENDS ON WHEN I STRETCH
These notes are nothing to obsess over, but rather make you think and be more aware of HOW you move. Movement is vital for general health and fitness, yet poor movement can increase tension lines with your soft tissue including muscles having to compensate. Therefore, HOW you move is just as important as movement itself and you cannot correct it without recognising what needs to be corrected.
This to be in a nicer format with actual selection buttons. Information to be saved and transferred to the users 'MY ACCOUNT'-'MY DATA' x
DONE!
DID YOU FIND THIS SECTION INTERESTING?
YES NO
DID YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT YOURSELF?
YES NO
Again, better format with selection buttons. Information to be stored and used for website management.