The Concept of Bilateral Symmetry: The Difference Between 'Visual Balance' and 'True Balance'

We usually think to ourselves, "I am standing straight."
But in reality, almost no one is actually standing perfectly straight.

The other day, I used a machine that measures body composition.
It can measure the muscle mass of both arms, both legs, and the trunk, and as you can see from my appearance, the result showed that my left leg had more muscle mass than my right leg.

Furthermore, as an experiment, I placed a scale under each foot and measured my weight while standing on them...

・42kg on my left foot
・18kg on my right foot

That is a much larger difference than I had imagined 😳

…Oh, now everyone knows my weight… 😅💕

Even though I "intended to stand straight," I was actually standing with my weight shifted heavily to the left.

The human body is not bilaterally symmetrical

The important thing here is that the human body is not inherently bilaterally symmetrical.

・We have a dominant hand and foot
・The positions of our internal organs are different on the left and right
・Facial features are also asymmetrical if you look closely
・Foot size and arm thickness are also slightly different

In other words, our assumption that "being symmetrical is normal" is wrong; rather, having left-right differences is natural, and that is part of an individual's uniqueness 🍀

The difference between bodybuilders and us

Of course, there are people who correct these left-right differences and aim for thorough uniformity.
Those are bodybuilders.

As they "build" their "bodies," they pursue muscles that are as balanced as a work of art.

Therefore, if the thickness of their left and right arms or the shape of their chest muscles differ, it becomes a "problem to be corrected."

However, the goals of us average people are different, aren't they? ☺️

・I want to be healthy
・I want to improve my posture
・I want to have a body that moves comfortably

If these are your goals, there is no need to force your left and right sides to be identical ✨

Visual balance and true balance 🌸

I am going to tell you something very important here.

Having good balance or being symmetrical is merely a matter of appearance.

We tend to think that "being straight and aligned equals good balance," but in reality,

✨ Looking aligned and being truly balanced are different things ✨

Even if your body is slightly crooked, if you feel comfortable and can move naturally in that state, that is the "best balance" for you.

For example, Usain Bolt, who captivated the world at the Olympics.
He actually had a condition called "scoliosis," where the spine is curved.

At first glance, it looks like a "fatal flaw" or a "major handicap," doesn't it?
Many people might think, "A curved spine is not good" or "Doesn't it put a strain on the body?"

However, that is simply a unique characteristic of his skeletal structure.

In fact, Bolt continued to run with that body, and at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, he set a phenomenal world record of
✨ 9.58 seconds in the 100m ✨
This record has yet to be broken.

If "a curved spine equals poor balance," there is no way he could have run at such a speed. Or is he just special?
Is he a different kind of being than us? I certainly don't think so.
He is a human being just like us.

And the fact that he is currently the fastest human on earth is proof that the very body with a curved spine was what created the best balance for Bolt.

Some might say he would have been even faster if his spine were straight, but that is just fantasy. If he is the fastest in the world right now, isn't that enough?

In other words, even if a body looks "crooked" or "unbalanced" to the eye,
for that person, it is actually the best balance.

That is why there is no need to force a "correction."
If the person themselves can move comfortably, that is the correct answer 🌿

About "aligning left and right" through chiropractic or medical treatment 💆‍♀️

I think many people go to chiropractors or osteopathic clinics when they have body pain.
During treatment, adjustments such as "aligning left-right balance" or "straightening the skeleton" are performed, right?

It is true that if your body's balance is significantly off, it can put a strain on those areas and manifest as pain.
That is why it is very effective to temporarily align the left and right sides and restore balance through treatment.

However, what is important here is

🌸 Even if you align them temporarily, we have "habits" in our daily lives.

・Always carrying your bag on the same shoulder
・Having a habit of standing with your weight on one leg
・Unconsciously leaning to one side while working at a desk

These small habits accumulate, and you end up returning to your original state.

In other words, while chiropractic or medical treatment can "reset" your body,

it is difficult to maintain that state forever, and the individual's lifestyle habits and how they use their body have the greatest impact of all.

Therefore, while there is no need to deny the treatment itself,
✨ "Knowing the characteristics and habits of your own body and being conscious of them in daily life" ✨
is what leads to true improvement 🌿

Accepting left-right differences

The last thing I want to convey is that left-right differences are not flaws, but individuality.

Just as it was for Usain Bolt, even a body that might be called "distorted" at first glance is the best shape for that person and is the condition that allows them to perform at their peak.

Therefore, what we should value is

not forcing ourselves to aim for uniformity,

✨ knowing the characteristics of your own body and accepting them ✨

That is the greatest hint for living a healthy and comfortable life 💖

Summary 🌟

・The human body is inherently asymmetrical
・Left-right differences are not "flaws" but "individuality"
・Visual alignment and true balance do not always match
・The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, also had the individuality of "scoliosis"
・Even if you align your body through treatment, it often returns due to daily habits
・The important thing is to "know and accept the characteristics of your own body"

"It's okay to have left-right differences."
If you can think that way, your training and your daily body movements
should become much more enjoyable and you can approach them with more peace of mind 🌸✨

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