Age Is No Barrier

We’ve all heard the myths about ageing. That ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.’ That as we grow older, it’s inevitable that our bodies will start to fail us, our capacity to learn diminishes, and we can expect our quality of life to continually deteriorate.

Many of us look to our parents or grandparents and fear what sort of life lies ahead of us once we retire. We get caught up in the idea that dementia is a part of the ageing process, that the pain and disability caused by arthritis is inevitable and that we can expect life to become more and more depressing the older we get.

The good news is that these are nothing more than myths. In fact, the biggest barriers that we face in enjoying a high quality of life as we age are the limiting beliefs that we put on ourselves. How many times have you heard someone tell you that their aches and pains or difficulties are ‘just part of who I am,’ or that ‘that’s the way I’ve always done things.’

As a Feldenkrais Practitioner, I encounter these beliefs and myths on a daily basis. The astounding thing it isn’t always from the elderly population. People as young as 25 are inhibiting and restricting their movements whilst avoiding doing the activities they love. Some of this is due to injuries that were never properly treated or rehabilitated and some of this is due to habits learned from unnatural behaviours such as sitting at a desk for hours or excessive mobile phone use.

Whilst we can get away without taking care of our health to a certain degree when we are younger, these things have a way of eventually catching up with us. Fortunately, it’s never too late to turn things around and start improving. Whilst some of us believe that our brain function deteriorates as we age, research has shown that we are continuously able to improve and learn new things. Recent progress in the field of neuroplasticity has shown that learning is not confined to younger generations and that continuous learning activity increases neuron regeneration that reduces the typical effects of ageing.

So what is Feldenkrais exactly and how can it help with the ageing process? The Feldenkrais Method is a movement-based therapy that helps to alleviate muscular tension and pain, as well as improving posture, flexibility and coordination. Instead of just helping people to recover from injuries and ailments, it seeks to actually help improve the way we coordinate our bodies and movement.

Sessions are often likened to a gentle massage that leaves the client feeling quite relaxed whilst the practitioner works subtly to make changes to their nervous system. At the end of a session, you feel lighter, taller and able to move with greater ease and comfort.

Over a series of sessions we aim to identify the cause of a person’s issues and discover new and improved ways of moving that don’t cause pain and injury. Exercise programs are developed to suit the client’s specific needs so that they can continue this improvement on their own. Classes are also available for those seeking to continue their learning experience.

Essentially, the method seeks to stop the cycle of deterioration and degeneration and begin the process of improvement and reflection. This means we have the opportunity to look forward to a healthy retirement where we can still lead an active and engaging lifestyle. We can feel as young as we like as long we give ourselves the opportunity to do so.

For more information on what the Feldenkrais Method may have to offer you, please visit qualitymovement.com.au or call Josh on 0402 338 852 and book yourself in for a 30 minute free consultation.