Why Movement Is Medicine
When I tell people that "movement is medicine," they often assume I'm just encouraging them to exercise more. But the reality is much deeper than that.
After years of working with everyone from weekend warriors to professional athletes, I've learned that how you move matters just as much as how much you move. And more importantly, understanding why you move the way you do is the key to both eliminating pain and optimizing performance.
The Problem with Traditional Pain Treatment
Most healthcare approaches treat pain like a simple equation: pain exists, therefore eliminate pain. But pain is rarely that straightforward.
When someone comes to me with shoulder pain, I don't just look at their shoulder. I want to understand their entire movement story. How do they sit at work? What does their training look like? How do they sleep? What activities have they been avoiding?
Because here's what I've discovered: your shoulder pain might actually be coming from how your thoracic spine moves, or how your hips function, or even how your feet contact the ground. The body is one interconnected system, and when one part isn't working optimally, other parts compensate.
Beyond "Just Getting Better"
Traditional healthcare often stops at the goal of being pain-free. But at Surf to Summit, that's where we really get started.
Our approach follows what I call the "Rehab to Performance Continuum":
Pain Phase: Address symptoms and restore basic function
Recovery Phase: Improve mobility, stability, and movement quality
Performance Phase: Build strength, power, and sport-specific skills
Optimization Phase: Fine-tune performance and prevent future issues
Most practitioners focus only on that first phase. We guide you through the entire spectrum, ensuring you don't just return to activity—you excel at it.
Your treatment doesn't end when you leave the table. It continues when you test that improved hip mobility with an actual squat, or practice corrected shoulder mechanics with real weights. This seamless integration between clinical care and performance training is what sets our approach apart.
Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, recovering from injury, or looking to enhance athletic performance, our philosophy remains the same: your body has an incredible capacity for adaptation and improvement when given the right inputs.
We don't believe in managing pain—we believe in optimizing movement. We don't believe in generic exercise prescriptions—we believe in personalized solutions based on your unique movement story and goals.
And we don't believe in treatment that exists in isolation from your real life. Everything we do is designed to help you move better in the activities that matter most to you.
Your Movement Journey Starts Here
Every person who walks through our doors has a unique movement story. Some are frustrated by limitations that keep them from activities they love. Others are high-level athletes looking to gain a competitive edge. Many are somewhere in between—active people who want to feel confident in their bodies again.
Regardless of where you're starting, the journey is the same: understand how you currently move, identify what's limiting optimal movement, and create a plan to bridge that gap.
If you're ready to experience what it feels like when movement truly becomes medicine, I'd love to hear your story.
Ready to start your movement journey? Book a free discovery call to learn how our approach can help you move better, feel stronger, and get back to doing what you love. Schedule here.
Dr. Brent Chuma is a Sports Chiropractor at Surf to Summit Spine and Sport, located inside Momentum Fitness Center in Hingham, MA. He combines sports chiropractic care with performance training to help people experience life through optimal movement.
