Joint or muscle problem? It might be your senses
Stiffness, tension or a lack of power is not always a problem with your joints or muscles. Your brain decides how much of your strength you get access to, based on signals from your eyes, balance organ and joints. When those signals are outdated, the brain hits the brakes, and training your senses can help release them.
I have written before about the importance of good core strength and stability, both in the whole body and standing on one leg.
But in the end it is your brain that decides whether you get access to your muscles, and whether they are allowed to develop full power or whether the brain puts on the brakes.
The brain and nervous system are the software that controls your hardware. And they get far too little attention. So today we are going to talk about upgrading your software.
Check the computer, not just the engine
We often try to fix our running or other challenging movements by working on selected "hardware" faults: the abdominal muscles aren't strong enough to protect a sore lower back, or the glutes aren't working enough to relieve the knees.
It makes sense to check the engine if the plane can't take off. But it could just as well be the computer, and you won't get anywhere until its programmes are updated.
If your brain's map of your body is outdated, because you sit a lot and move too little or too one-sidedly, it can't tell the different joints apart clearly. Then it can't activate the right muscles for the job.
Nor can it navigate well when the speed goes up, because it struggles to interpret the signals from senses that haven't been updated. That might be your eyes, which aren't used to scanning your surroundings while you move, or the balance organ in your inner ear, which gets little stimulation because your head is almost always upright and still.
Why the brain puts on the brakes
When your eyes and sense of balance are calibrated for a sedentary life rather than speed, every step can feel tiring and unnecessarily hard. The brain reduces the muscles' ability to develop power and creates tension and locking as a kind of safety net in case you fall.
The same can happen when there is a mismatch between what your eyes, balance organ and joint and muscle senses are telling the brain, for example after a head injury, whiplash or a long period of severe stress.
When the brain can't predict where you are in space, or where your limbs are in relation to each other in the next moment, it doesn't want to risk an accident. That can show up as:
- struggling to get up to speed
- getting hurt again and again
- not making progress, however hard you train
- not being able to get yourself out of the door, even though you know how good fresh air and movement feel
Recalibrate your senses
Your sensory system needs to be recalibrated so it gives the brain reliable information about how your surroundings change when you move. Then the brain has a solid basis for deciding that you may move freely and increase pace and load, rather than slowing you down or locking you up at the slightest doubt.
The good news is that this kind of training doesn't take long. A few minutes a day, before your strength training or on its own, can make a noticeable difference to how your body moves. Here are some places to start:
- Move your eyes. Hold a finger at arm's length and follow it with your eyes as you move it slowly from side to side and up and down, keeping your head still.
- Fix your gaze, move your head. Look at a point on the wall and turn your head slowly from side to side while keeping your eyes on the point.
- Challenge your balance. Stand on one leg near a wall. When that is easy, add slow head turns, or close your eyes for a few seconds.
- Map your joints. Make slow, controlled circles with your ankles, knees, hips, spine, shoulders and wrists, so the brain gets clear signals from each joint.
- Add speed gradually. Once the slow version feels easy, do the same movements a little faster, or walk while turning your head.
Keep it calm and playful. Mild, passing dizziness can be a sign that the system is being challenged, but stop if it becomes uncomfortable. If you have had a concussion, whiplash or have persistent dizziness, get guidance from a doctor or physiotherapist before you start.
Software first, then hardware
Strong muscles still matter. But muscles can only work as well as the signals that control them. When you update your software first, your strength training gets easier, your movements become freer, and you get access to more of the strength you already have.
STRONG THINGS, Anna's digital strength club, is coming in English. Join the waitlist to be the first to know.
Frequently asked questions
Can joint or muscle problems really come from the brain?
Yes, in some cases. The brain regulates how much power your muscles may produce based on signals from the eyes, balance organ and joints. If those signals are unclear, the brain may create tension and limit strength as a protective measure, which can feel like a joint or muscle problem.
What is sensory or sensorimotor training?
Sensorimotor training uses simple exercises for the eyes, balance and joint awareness to give the brain clearer signals about the body. Examples are eye-tracking drills, balancing on one leg with head turns and slow joint circles. It is often done for a few minutes before strength training.
Is it safe to do balance and eye exercises if I get dizzy?
Mild, short-lived dizziness can be a sign that the system is being challenged, so keep the exercises slow and stand near a wall. Stop if it becomes uncomfortable. If you have had a concussion or whiplash, or have persistent dizziness, get advice from a doctor or physiotherapist first.