We all understand that what we put into our bodies—food, water, and air—determines our health. But there is another form of “nutrition” that is just as critical, yet often overlooked: physical force.
The loads you place on your body every single day are constantly shaping you, from your bones and muscles right down to the cellular level. This is the hidden nutrition behind healthy ageing, vitality, and resilience.
There is a fascinating process continuously happening in your body called mechanotransduction. It’s a scientific term for a simple concept. Essentially, your cells can sense physical forces and change their behaviour in response.
Think of a sponge. If you leave it to dry out on the side of the sink, it becomes stiff and brittle. But if you regularly soak it and squeeze it, it remains pliable and resilient. Your body’s tissues are much the same; they need to be loaded to stay healthy.
Every time you walk, stand, stretch, or even sit, you are sending information to your cells, telling them how to organise and remodel themselves.
This cellular conversation is happening whether you are paying attention to it or not. Your posture is a perfect example.
When you sit slumped in a chair, you are applying a prolonged, low-level load to your spine. Your cells respond to this by remodelling the tissues to support that shape. Over time, this can lead to stiffness and weakness.
Conversely, when you walk, you load your bones, which signals them to maintain or even increase their density. When you carry your shopping, you load your muscles and connective tissues, telling them to stay strong. These are all forms of movement nutrition.
Think of your body like a trampoline. For a good bounce, the tension needs to be distributed evenly across all the springs. If the tension is wrong or if you stand in one spot for too long, it creates a sag.
Our bodies work in a similar way. Healthy physiology depends on varied and well-distributed loads. When we spend too much time in one position or move in repetitive, unbalanced ways, we create sags and strains in our system.
The key is to vary your loads. Sit on the floor, carry things, walk on different surfaces, and reach for things. This variety is what feeds your tissues and keeps them adaptable and strong.
So, where does chiropractic care come in? If a joint in your spine is stuck and not moving correctly, it cannot be loaded properly. The surrounding areas are then forced to compensate, taking on extra strain.
A chiropractic adjustment is designed to restore motion to these restricted areas. This allows your body to distribute forces more evenly, just like fixing the springs on the trampoline.
By ensuring your body is well-aligned and moving freely, we help create the foundation for you to load your body in a healthy, nourishing way. It allows the conversation between movement and your cells to happen as it should.
Ready to improve how your body handles its daily loads? Book your appointment with us today.
Ewell Chiropractic
9A Cheam Road, Ewell, Epsom KT17 1SP
Our practice is next to the central car park in the Ewell village if you travel by car. And just a 10-minute wander from both train stations in Ewell.
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