Dooley Noted: 4/4/2014
I used to be the kind of driver that would run the yellow lights. I saw the caution light, and I would blast right through it.
I don’t drive in New York. I traded driving life for a subway life that takes me to work.
As I accumulate time in practice, I have the honor of watching people move for an hour at a time.
A particular patient yesterday gave me permission to share his experience in gait retraining.
As I encouraged him to slowly walk heel to toe, his slow walk was fast-paced.
Dooley: “Whoa, slow down, speed demon!”
Patient: “I thought I WAS going slow!”
Dooley: “It’s called the ‘Slow Walk’ for a reason!”
Patient: (laughs) “Don’t you know I’m trying to hurry up and get it over with?”
That’s when it hit me like an Acme anvil: We speed right through our dysfunctions.
We run our yellows in movement, just like we run them in the car!
As he slowed himself, he saw and felt all the movement flaws.
Patient: “Wow – I never knew how I compensated all the time!”
Of course we compensate. We are adaptable to our situations and environments.
We all do it. We’re not bad people.
We simply might need to slow it down and get ourselves assessed. Run enough yellows, and you might just end up running that red, causing an accident to occur.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley