Stagnation

Stagnation is an end to movement, particularly fluids, but essentially describes a state of inactivity. We can look at this from a big picture point of view as well as on the microscopic scale. We are all aware of the need for regular movement in terms of exercise and our long-term health. We were made to move, that’s why we have all of the joints we have, and down to their microscopic structure it becomes very evident that stagnant states do not survive.

Big picture, regular, daily movement is needed for our body to remain healthy. There is more than ample evidence to support the idea that exercise on a frequent basis maintains heart, brain, visceral and musculoskeletal health. Movement creates a gradient that exchanges chemical by-products, maintains tissue elasticity, promotes circulation and systemic mobility. Movement is what prevents the biological rust from accumulating over time. Things like calcium build up in arteries, knots in soft tissues and maybe even plaques in the brain could all be considered a form of stagnation due to poor perfusion.

If we drill down a bit and look at the level of joints, they are made up of two primary ingredients: water and collagen. These two things interact to create fluid and elastic motion. If a joint is immobilized for an extended period, stiffness develops and sometimes never fully dissipates. Part of the reason is due to the stagnation of water between the bones. Tissues that surround the bones become rigid and lose their pliability. Fluids are incompressible, and if they become stagnant, no amount of muscle strength can move a joint. Reduced mobility sets in and motion becomes difficult to regain.

Most of us are aware of the need to move. From the point of view of global health we can see the negative effects of a sedentary, stagnant lifestyle. These same principles apply at the microscale. We literally need movement to create gradients that restore energy and promote capacity. We are very much like batteries. We store energy so that we can apply it to life. Both the storage and release of energy require that gradient, which cannot be achieved in a stagnant state.

Austin Ulrich, Physical Therapist