CARs is an acronym used in the Functional Range Conditioning system (FRC). I know, another acronym. But I promise that’s the last one. CARs stands for:
- Controlled
- Articular
- Rotations
In normal terms, this means controlled joint circles. And in this article, you will learn why it may be the best thing you could ever do to help with the following:
- Improve joint mechanics
- Help with symptoms of arthritis
- Improve balance and awareness
- Feel more stable in your body
- Increase strength and body control
- And most importantly, to learn about your body
CARs is a daily routine that takes about 20 minutes to complete. This daily practice serves us in many ways. My favourite thing about it is that it is a daily self-check in system you can do for yourself. I always tell my clients that they should learn to be their own detectives. Nobody knows your body better than you do. However, when people come into the clinic with pain or stiffness, it is very common that they do not know how to describe the locations or the feeling. This can be improved by checking into your body daily. You would be surprised how many of your problems may be solved simply by taking your joints through their full ranges of motion each day would do. Which leads me to my next point.
Our joints articulate, or move, in a rotational manner. This is easy to think of when we picture a ball and socket, such as the way our hips and shoulders are organized. When restrictions are present from a rotational standpoint, all other movements will be limited. For instance, a lack of internal rotation of the hip (which is very common), can restrict your ability to lift your leg up. This is crucial for walking, running, or stepping up onto high objects. Many times, when we have pinching in the front of the hip, it can be due to a lack of internal rotation as well.
We have ranges of motion that we have control over (active range of motion) and ranges that we do not (passive range of motion). When these ratios are out of balance, trouble arises. A person who does yoga frequently may be very bendy and have lots of passive range of motion, but that person may not have control through those ranges (active range). This can result in injury simply because the person doesn’t know how to properly stabilize their bodies in the ranges they have available to them CARs is a daily practice that can help with this.
By taking each joint through its full range of motion every day, you will gain control over your body and become strong in the ranges of motion you have available to you.
If you are interested in learning more about this routine, you can email me at [email protected] and I will send over the link.
Enjoy your day!
Tyler Woelfle
FRCms, CP2, HLC
IG: @beoriginalcoaching
