I was recently with a friend whose mother is 90 years old, still drives, is active and is mentally sharp. Her mother’s favorite saying about activity is “motion is lotion”. I loved that!
And I so agreed with her as I had recently discovered some back & hip pain relief exercises that were really helping me. In fact, that was the discussion that led us to that topic.
Little did I know how popular that saying was until I started research for this blog. Wow! Where have I been that I never heard it before?
First – an article from a Dr. Scott Gray who is the owner of Back in Motion Physical Therapy & Performance. His colleague, Dr. James Porco, said “Motion is Lotion” is one of their favorite quotes. Another term for it was “movement is medicine”.
In explaining why, his article went on to say they used those terms because they state the most natural way for the body to heal itself. And the benefits go far beyond the ‘working our muscles’ explanation – far beyond the musculoskeletal system.
In reciting how the benefits of exercise go beyond, he listed:
- Aid joint lubrication and nourishment
- Ease your joint pain and stiffness
- Improve flexibility & mobility
- Build muscular strength
- Improve your balance
- Help you sleep better
- Improve posture
- Improve or maintain the density of your bones
- Improve overall health and fitness
All of the above are good things, but I have to emphasize the first one – joint lubrication and nourishment.
That matches what my trainer says as I follow along with his exercises – he keeps talking about adding deep breathing as well, but all together, he talks through the exercises about the movements activating synovial fluid and bringing healing nutrients, blood flow and oxygen to the lower back along with the hip areas.
And strengthening the core.
So it should come as no surprise to me that I am thinking back to what got me into this hip & back pain situation was probably the number of hours daily I was sitting in front of the computer working. Not taking movement breaks, stressing, not walking much, just hunching and sitting waaay too much. Now, that’s my diagnosis of my aggravating of the situation.
And when I got into pain, I just wanted to sit more – stretch a little but when movement was painful, I just wanted to stop moving. ….Bad move, right?
And it affects more than just muscular situations – as the “Back in Motion” doctors mentioned above affirmed. They added a list of additional benefits of “Motion is Lotion” responses – mental health benefits (hormones and emotional responses), gastrointestinal benefits, cardiovascular benefits, and here is one very important to me, the cognitive system!
OK, so we old folks need a little humor to keep us going. I just have to insert these here since I saw them today and had to laugh. From a person who titled these thoughts as being from a “seasoned mind”, I assume he was in my age group:
I decided that old age is when you still have something on the ball, but you are just too tired to bounce it.
I thought about making a fitness movie for folks my age and calling it ‘Pumping Rust’.
Can you relate? And laugh a little? Yeah, me, too. But darn, it also hits home a little too sharply.
So as I looked at the next resource – from Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy – I could truly say I need to be sure I am not letting pain send me down the wrong path. And I don’t want to just chalk it up to age and not give it a try.
The Kinetic folks said “motion is lotion” refers to the importance of movement to lubricate our joints with nutrient rich fluid and to maintain and improve ROM and flexibility and to decrease pain and discomfort. Now – see there – I was going the opposite way due to pain and discomfort.
They added – What we don’t use regarding range of motion and flexibility we most certainly lose over time. Also, with too much rest or down time, we tend to stiffen up and joints become more painful.
I know, it is counter-intuitive. But now that I have been doing these exercises, I see exactly what they are talking about.
The Kinetic group shared the American Heart Association recommendation that adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity. They admitted that sounds like a long time, but we can break it up into smaller sections – like as little as 30 minutes a day/5 days a week.
Now it is bringing to mind a friend who is also 90 and is truly suffering from lack of movement (in my observation). Falls, lack of balance and stiff knees along with back ache plague her. When I asked about exercise or movement issues, she said “I used to do those, but I don’t have the energy now.” How easy it is for us to fall into that thinking. And it escalates the difficulties, unfortunately.
Oh yes, so many other sources support what I am sharing with you. Just one more from a Physical Therapy place which also cited the “motion is lotion” statement saying it is a mantra they use to emphasize the significance of movement in the recovery process. Whether recovering from an injury, managing chronic conditions, or rehabilitating after surgery, one needs to exercise, stretch and use techniques which encourage and restore motion, which, in turn, they say “aids in pain relief”.
And they stated exactly what my 90-year-old friend was saying to me. “Pain can be a complex experience, but it often leads to a decreased willingness to move. However, avoiding movement due to pain can actually exacerbate the problem.” So, there you have it.
And yes, they also supported the point that the first and most important benefit of movement is enhanced blood flow and transport of oxygen to the muscles ensuring oxygen and essential nutrients reach the affected areas. Increased blood flow facilitates healing, reduces inflammation and promotes tissue regrowth, aiding in pain relief.
On that point, all the sources I read agree.
Sign me up – actually, I am already experiencing what they are talking about. I’ll just say “ditto”.
Now, as I age, I want the positive effects of the “motion is lotion”, but I agree that we also have to be realistic. I am actually older – although I laughed at this next one, it has a lot of truth in it for me:
Some people try to turn back their “odometers.” Not me. I want people to know ‘why’ I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.
Ah! Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable – especially when you pay attention to the “motion is lotion” mantra!
So I hope this has been a helpful reminder for you as it was very affirming for me.
And yes, I will share the last little “humor” piece from the “seasoned mind” person – it is a prayer I could use often —
Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
(if you are giggling at that one, you are in MY camp!)
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