By Jude Mead

“Remember what it felt like to be a kid, moving effortlessly and without pain? Correcting your movement is the first step in returning to this state.” These are the words of James O’Brien, a physical therapist and the founder of Perfecting Movement, LLC. O’Brien recently launched a new website, perfectingmovement.net, whose focus is on teaching people how to help themselves avoid pain. “Kids move in the most efficient patterns possible. But as we age, we develop inflexibility and weakness by moving unnaturally. We don’t use our bodies as they were designed to be used, which leads to faulty movement patterns over time,” O’Brien explained in a recent interview.

As a physical therapist with nearly ten years’ experience, O’Brien has learned that faulty movement and underlying strength and flexibility deficits lead to pain and injury. He believes there is a right and a wrong way to move and that any movement not in alignment with our anatomical design is harmful. 

O’Brien does not believe in quick fixes. He knows that if someone learns and develops proper flexibility, strength and motor programming, then the risk of injury decreases. “By learning how to fix yourself, you will develop true lasting gains and be more resistant to injury. Although this will take hard work, remember, nothing good in life comes easy. The Perfecting Movement approach is not a quick fix but rather a long-term solution,” said O’Brien.

O’Brien’s credentials back him up. Throughout his career he has focused on orthopedic physical therapy and musculoskeletal disorders. In 2013 he became a board-certified orthopedic specialist through the American Physical Therapy Association. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has been certified as a running technique specialist.

O’Brien first started paying close attention to how people move when he was in the United States Army stationed in Afghanistan. He noticed that the Afghan people stood erect, could squat to the floor with a straight back, and were capable of heavy work without injury. “It was remarkable to watch. They are very resilient and know how to move their bodies correctly so as not to injure themselves,” said O’Brien.

According to O’Brien, studies have shown that people who live in less developed societies that depend on movement and strengthening skills have much less degeneration in their spines, hips and knees. In contrast, developed societies, which once moved “correctly,” gradually developed faulty movement patterns. “Many people use the body incorrectly through improper movement causing gradual but cumulative harm that will predispose them to both injury and pain. Think about it. We sit a lot, walk on flat terrain, and wear footwear that alters natural movement. The modern developed world does not stimulate or encourage our bodies to be used correctly,” he said.

O’Brien set up a website because he wants to reach out and help as many people as possible. “Having a website allows me to do just that. I want to teach people to be mindful of how they move and to learn therapeutic exercises so they can help themselves. Nevertheless, nothing replaces in-person, one-on-one physical therapy, where the therapist is present to assess and correct you as needed,” he said.

In his easy-to-follow videos O’Brien uses the same techniques and teaching methods that have helped his patients.

The programs on the website are practical and can be used for everyday movement, from walking appropriately to bending forward correctly. For example, O’Brien suggests walkers take shorter strides, and people who shovel snow learn safe bending practices. He explained that “shoveling snow is a very complex movement. It involves posture and proper hip hinging. Knowing how to bend correctly for shoveling keeps a happy spine.”

Keeping a healthy spine is a fundamental part of the Perfecting Movement approach. “The spine is essential to good health. When we don’t move correctly, the spine is subjected to stress.” We have all been told since childhood to “stand up straight,” but it is easy to get into bad habits. O’Brien knows that by keeping bones and joints in correct alignment, the muscles in the body are used properly. “Good posture puts the least strain on the spine, and good posture is the foundation for proper movement.  Good posture means the spine is supported in a stable and neutral position—not too rounded forward and not too arched back,” said O’Brien.

Learning the principles of Perfecting Movement is not complicated, and practicing them even a few minutes a day will lead to better habits. “Learning to fish is better than being given a fish. I want my company to teach you how to be the healthiest version of you,” O’Brien said.

To learn more about Perfect Movement, you can hear O’Brien’s talk about his methods and give a demonstration at the Norfolk Library on April 4 at 7 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

Photo courtesy of James O’Brien: Maintaining a healthy spine is a key part of James O’Brien’s therapy practice.