Muscle balance and how it’s tested

Exercise is one of the ways to improve your physical well-being and it aids in great measure to get rid of ailments, aches and pains. Follow the exercise programme provided by the biokineticists at Anine van der Westhuizen Biokineticist in George and feel the difference. This week biokineticist Lize Coetzee talks in more detail about muscle balance in the body.

When muscles are in balance, the human body moves efficiently, requiring less energy and preventing unnecessary stress on the muscles, nerves, ligaments and joints. Achieving optimal muscle balance, not just strength, is critical - both for improving athletic performance and preventing injury over the long term. All everyday movement and function require a balance between sets of muscles (their strength, their tone and their length), surrounding a particular joint in the body. When muscles surrounding a joint provide equal levels of strength and tension, these muscles are considered “balanced”.

Testing

There are two categories of muscle imbalance. In one case, muscles can become overdeveloped or underdeveloped due to over- or under-use. The most common cause of muscle imbalance, however, is poor communication between the brain and muscles, known as neuromuscular imbalance. Biokineticists look at both categories and determine muscle imbalances through doing tests and observation.

A dynamometer is one of the tools used to test the strength of specific muscle groups. In the realms of rehabilitation, kinesiology and ergonomics, force dynamometers are used for measuring the back, grip, arm, and/or leg strength of athletes, patients and workers to evaluate physical status, performance, and task demands.

We also look at biomechanics through a biomechanical session. We test movements in a low load (basic movements) and a high load (more advanced movement) category. This allows us to establish the weaknesses in the kinetic chain. We then break down a video of the patient’s movement during jumping and running, and make recommendations on how their performance can be improved. This cycle is important in creating good results as it will allow the patient to not only see but also feel how the correct movement pattern should be performed. Essentially, it focuses on analysing the mechanics of human movement, examines and explains why and how the human body moves like it does.

By doing dynamometer tests and biomechanical sessions, one can determine problem areas to work on and strive to improve the individual’s quality of life.