Let’s face it, balance in the physical sense can be closely related to “balance” in the metaphysical sense. As a physical therapist, I practice and observe all kinds of movement and assess balance of those at risk for falls. From a scientifically theoretical standpoint, all human movement patterns are created from the interplay of three major constraints: organism, environment, and task. (Kamm, Thelen & Jensen, 1990; Kugler, Kelso, & Turvey, 1982; Newell, 1982). You are the organism, the environment is such things as the shoes you wear, and the tasks are things like climbing the stairs.
For example, you can have a combination of bad knees (organism), good shoes (environment), and a stair step of 6-8 inches (task). The result may be a slow and unsafe climbing of the stairs, where you’re likely to hold onto the guard rail as you climb up. On the other hand, good knees (organism), good shoes (environment), and a stair height that is too high (task) will also change your biomechanics and influence an unsafe pattern that may lead to injury. Regardless of one or all of these three constraints, people make do and often the task of “climbing the stairs” is completed. However, we as humans don’t just want to move with pain or move with a risk of falling. To say it simply, it is the quality of the stair climb that we all seek.
It’s safe to say that if your mind or spirit is pressed up against some adversity in your environment and then forces you to carry out your day to day life. The result here is the same as it is physically—INJURY.
Suggestions:
Get new shoes, change the task of climbing stairs, or strengthen the knees and change your posture.
As I mentioned at the beginning, LIFE is constantly what we call a balancing act.
We can and we will get better together!