When the body holds back to stay safe
If movement feels restricted, stiff, or effortful, it’s rarely because you’re simply “tight”.
Loss of ease is often a protective response.
The body limits movement when it senses threat — from past injury, overload, stress, or poor recovery.
At Livelong, reduced mobility is understood as information about how the system is coping, not something to force through.
Why movement becomes restricted
The body prioritises safety over range.
Movement often narrows when:
- past injury hasn’t fully resolved
- load has accumulated quietly
- stress increases muscle tone
- breathing patterns keep the system alert
Stretching harder doesn’t always help — because the restriction isn’t mechanical alone.
How Tom works with movement
Tom looks at:
- how load is distributed through the body
- how the nervous system regulates safety
- breathing and tension patterns
- where movement is being guarded
The aim is to restore confidence and permission in movement — not override protection.
What care looks like
Care may include hands-on osteopathic work, acupuncture, breathing and regulation strategies, and movement guidance.
Progress often feels like:
- smoother movement
- less effort
- more trust in your body
Who this suits best
This approach suits people who:
- feel stiff despite stretching
- avoid movement due to fear or discomfort
- want ease, not force