Normal vs Full Capacity Function

What is the normal capacity of body movement?

At ATUNE Health Centres, when Novocastrians come in for care, a functional assessment is a standard part of the initial consultation. Patients often want to know how their results compare to others.

During this process, we frequently get questions like:

• How deep should I be able to squat?

• Should I be able to touch my toes when I bend?

• Does my arm reach high enough?

• Should my leg twist like that?

But the most common question we hear is: "Is that normal?"

The term "normal" is very subjective, especially when it comes to the human body. It’s crucial to understand that there is usually a significant difference between what people typically do ("normal") and what our bodies are actually capable of when functioning at full capacity.

The Squat Example

Let’s use squatting as an example. If you observe a baby picking something up from the ground, you’ll notice they perform a perfect squat, keeping their knees tracking over their toes while their heels stay firmly planted on the floor. This is the way the body is designed to move — efficiently and naturally.

However, as adults, after years of sedentary habits, such as sitting for long periods or adopting poor movement patterns, we often find that we can no longer squat properly. We may accept this limited range of motion as "normal."

After all, no one else in the office can do it either, right?

It's easy to dismiss the idea of regaining full movement as something only athletes or younger people can do. But we would challenge this way of thinking because many of the pain and movement problems we treat are directly related to restricted movement.

Recognising the Signs of Restricted Movement

Consider this: If you experience knee pain every time you bend down to pick something up, and you notice that your knee collapses inward while you're doing so, could this be a sign that something is wrong? This isn’t about extreme flexibility — we’re talking about basic, fundamental movements, such as squatting, reaching overhead, or getting up and down from the floor.

These are everyday actions that are vital for our health and daily functioning. We all need to squat to sit down, lift objects, or bend over without pain. We need to lift our arms above our heads to reach high shelves or hang washing. We need to be able to balance on one leg to walk up stairs without fear of falling. And if we end up on the floor, we need to be able to get back up without assistance.

The inability to perform these basic activities of daily living is often the primary reason people end up in nursing homes.

How to Assess Your Own Movement

Don’t wait until you can’t get out of bed without pain — your health, vitality, and ability to function depend on maintaining full capacity movement.