Iqaluit (Apr 28/03) - Don't ask what your body can do for you, instead ask what you can do for your body.

Aches and pains are common, something as simple as sitting in a chair can put strain on muscles and joints. That is why there are people like Jen Strohschein.

Jen Strohschein poses with a replica spine. As a physiotherapist her expertise lies in how the body moves. - NNSL photo

She is a physiotherapist working in Iqaluit.

Specializing in how people move and carry themselves, she passes that knowledge on to patients.

That awareness, she said, is what ultimately helps her patients become free of pain caused by normal wear and tear or injuries.

"What is going to make people better is what they do, not what we do for them," she said.

Strohschein said it is for that reason the physiotherapists aim to work with people as a team.

"It's not us as the expert and them as the recipient," she said.

"We try to help people respond to their own bodies."

The key to maintaining a healthy, mobile and pain-free body is easy -- stay active, said Strohschein.

That goes the same when you have pain.

"People sometimes think that if they have pain they should hang out in bed, but that's probably the worst thing for it," she said.

Most of the time it is lack of activity and a weakness on muscles that causes injury.

"A cardinal rule is not to hold the same position for more than 20 minutes.

"Take a break and move around for 30 seconds. If people would think about lining themselves up and working their muscles they would find themselves with a lot less pain, she added."

Physiotherapy doesn't just deal with aches and pains.

There are disciplines that focus on neurology, which helps with rehabilitation following strokes, or with people suffering from multiple sclerosis.

They help people with respiratory problems lead healthier lives and engage in fitness that helps to clear and clean the lungs.

Strohschein said they also work closely with other practitioners such as doctors and occupational therapists.

"We can go into people's homes and help devise ways to make it easier for them to move around in the home," she said.

Fascinated by the mechanics of the body, Strohschein said she loves her job for more than its technical applications.

"I like the chance I have to interact with people. It's tremendously rewarding.

"Bones and muscles are fascinating but if I didn't have the personalities to deal with it would be boring as heck," she said.