Rethink the function of your skeleton

Posted on by Bear

Rethink the role of the skeleton

Introduction

For the longest time the skeleton consisting of joints and bones has been viewed as a structure that protects your vital organs, stores fat & minerals and acts as a blood production site. But what if there is another vital function?



Information & predictions

Recent advancements in neuroscience have opened us up to the vital function of information, and its function within the body.


To fully understand what I mean by information we will have to take a quick look at your nervous system, and in particular your central nervous system.


The nervous system

The main function of the nervous system is trans duct signals to and from the body, as well as direct actions based on future predictions.


The central nervous system (CNS) consisting of your spine and brain are the main player when it comes to these predictions.


When the threat level is high your body will ready itself for action and when the threat level is low the body will start repairing and rebuilding.


Future states

Your CNS constantly predicts future states and prepares the body and mind. It does this by relying on prior experiences and current signalling from the body.


These signals can come from your senses like touch, taste sight, smell and hearing. And/Or they can come from your heart, bones, muscles, skin etc.



The role of the skeleton in your perceived reality


Before we dive into the details let's make the destinction between interoception (perceiving internal environment) and exteroception (perceiving outside environment).

Your CNS needs information from both of these categories in order to make accurate predictions.


Your bones are a key player in your perception of the outside environment and so do your muscles. They mostly rely on tension, pressure and impact in order to make their assessment of what's going on.


In essence what's going is that muscles contract (shorten and lengthen) in order to support movement affecting the skeleton in two major ways:


1) Vibrations

The impact of the external load causes the skeleton to vibrates the fluid within the bones. Also during movement tendons rub over the bones causing vibrations (like playing a harp)


2) Change in blood pressure

Bones are covered with blood vessels and whenever muscles contract they rub over these veins causing peaks and drops in blood pressure.


Both of these values will be supplied to the CNS and a better prediction will cause more effective states.

What might this mean to you


First and foremost, let's talk about why you would want better predictions and more effective states.


Have you ever experienced anxiety or spells of depression? These two are strong indicators of an ''incorrect assessment'' of future states. If you knew exactly what was going to happen in the future you probably wouldn't be so scared.


Or have you ever been really frustrated or angry because something didn't go as you expected?


So what can you do to make better predictions? FEEL MORE


* Wear thinner shoes or go barefoot


* Be calmer


* Cover less of your skin


* Do less sitting and more walking

* Expose yourself to the current environmental temperature


* Engage in effective routines


* Eat less

During exercise with regard to the skeleton and muscles this could mean


* No shoes


* Wearing tight-fitting clothes or very loose-fitting clothes


* Do something during your exercise that causes impact (like jumping, kicking & punching)






''Do not underestimate your ability to learn and become more effective at everything you do''

Go back to blogs

Leave a Reply