Joints
Did you know that your feet don’t just go
up and down?
Imagine walking or running and then having to change direction, your leg and hip have to rotate over your foot. So if I was turning right the middle image shows the relative position of my left foot.
So why do we often train with our feet just straight ahead, lunges and squats etc? We have 28 foot joints plus the ankle, knee and hip joints in this example.
The brain records all our movements and the speed and load we put into a joint to create a map, the more the detailed and established this map is, the safer the brain feels when we are moving. So if I was running and was carrying a backpack which wasn’t normal for me, and I changed direction my brain may not let me turn in the way I’m used to because the load is higher than normal. Therefore the brain could do something to stop me which ironically could end up in an injury.
You can apply this feature to almost every single joint we have.
It’s also known that the more capable we are of moving well, the increased chance of improved cognition we have.
I did a quick search to see if there are any studies about indigenous people comparing the movement capabilities and cognition, an extract is shared below:
Yes, studies have been conducted on individuals living a primitive or natural lifestyle, particularly focusing on cognition and movement capabilities. These investigations often compare such populations with those in industrialized societies to understand the impact of lifestyle on brain health.
Tsimane People (Bolivian Amazon): Research on the Tsimane, a forager-horticulturalist group, has shown that their physically active lifestyle and traditional diet (high in fiber, vegetables, fish, and lean meat) correlate with slower brain atrophy. A study found their brain volume decline with age is approximately 70% slower than in Western populations, suggesting a protective effect on cognitive health. This is linked to high physical activity, minimal sedentary behavior, and low cardiovascular risk factors.
Movement Capabilities: Studies of the Tsimane and similar groups, like the Hadza in Tanzania, highlight exceptional motor skills due to daily physical demands (e.g., hunting, gathering). Research indicates enhanced neuromuscular coordination and muscle efficiency, with less age-related decline in motor function compared to Western adults. This is attributed to lifelong engagement in diverse, natural movements rather than specialized exercise.
Cognitive Function: Evidence suggests that these populations exhibit robust cognitive performance, particularly in spatial memory and problem-solving, likely due to environmental navigation and survival tasks. For instance, the Tsimane show preserved memory and executive function into old age, possibly due to reduced stress and a diet low in processed foods.
Limitations: These studies are observational and cannot prove causation. Factors like genetics, social structure, and limited sample sizes (e.g., small indigenous communities) complicate conclusions. Western lifestyles may also include unmeasured benefits (e.g., education, healthcare) that offset some comparisons.
Overall, these findings suggest that a primitive, natural lifestyle may support better brain and movement health, though more longitudinal research is needed to confirm mechanisms and generalizability.