Sharon's Soapbox
January 2004

Last summer I overheard a conversation in which one hiker proposed that the human body was the perfect running machine. The listener, being an orthopaedic surgeon, replied (with some restraint) with a list of some of the running related injuries he treated regularly.

With this in my memory, I followed with some interest an argument on the web site for the British Medical Journal: http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprintsidebar/327/7429/1476?&eaf

The original article suggested that humans were not well suited to running because we only have 2 legs compared to our prey who have 4 legs, the structure of the foot, ankle and knee, etc. The subsequent flurry of responses (mostly written by long distance runners) praised the health benefits of running, though did recognize the concerns about running on hard surfaces.

In my opinion, they all (writer and responders alike) missed the point. Humans are designed to have variety. Being descended from hunters and gatherers means that we are equally capable of stalking and running, sitting and lying, flexing and extending, doing fine tasks and doing gross motor tasks. Any time that a person is restricted to doing any one task results in strain and pain.

This is sometimes referred to as the Henry Ford assembly line model. There was a time when people were assigned to do one task over and over again. When the person could no longer do the job they were replaced. Even the most benign activity – sleeping – causes discomfort if it is done for too long.

So, get off your chair and go for a walk. Or, if you have been on your feet all day, have a seat and relax for a while. And if someone complains, tell ‘em I told you to…

Sharon

Home | Services | About ErgoSum | Contact