Tune-Up Any Body?

Just like our cars, our bodies are ‘vehicles’ that usually get us where we’re going in a timely and reliable fashion. We spend an average of $735 a year maintaining our cars (according to the American Automobile Association’s 2005-2006 annual survey). That’s not counting tires and gas. We never question the fact that that automobiles need tune-ups, oil changes and tire alignment. Insurance does not pay for this maintenance; insurance only pays for repairs when there is an accident or other major event.

We keep our cars an average of 7-8 years. We keep our bodies at least 70-80 years. Yet most of us don’t spend anything at all to ‘tune’ our bodies. We wait until something breaks or makes a ‘noise’ (in our bodies that noise is usually pain) and only then go to the doctor, and expect insurance to pay for it.

Wouldn’t it make much more sense to give our bodies ‘tune-ups’ the same way we do our cars, for preventive maintenance?

If we were to spend, say $60, for a massage once every month, we’d feel better, be in a better mood, have improved circulation, decrease stress and therefore get more done and still spend about the same amount we do on our cars. Occasional ‘tune-ups’ for the body keep us going and may even prevent our breaking down. This is even more important because ‘dents’ in our bodies (from whiplash, surgeries, falls and other injuries) accumulate and can, over years of compensation to an injury, cause more and more misalignment that can lead to pain. You can imagine what would happen to your tires if you hit a pothole and never realigned the front end.

There are many other hands-on methods in addition to massage that are useful. I especially like the ones that help re-align our backs, shoulders and necks such as Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy, Feldenkrais Method, and Alexander Technique.

If we went for ‘realignment maintenance’ every 2 months at a cost of about $80-100, we’d still be spending less than on our cars and yet enjoy a much longer benefit. Better alignment means less pain, less fatigue and better function of our bodies’ structures. It may also mean prevention of future aches and pains – perhaps even fewer doctor visits in the long run.

Start thinking of your body as an expensive vehicle that needs regular maintenance. Ask around and find someone who is good at osteopathic manipulation, massage or other body work. Maintain yourself in the truest sense with ‘tune-ups’ for your body. Give yourself that regular ‘ounce of prevention.’

Bettina Herbert, M.D.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Philadelphia, PA.

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Posted on: 7/3/2006