If You Make Grunting Noises When You Move, Here's Why
If you've ever experienced aches or pains associated with body movements, odds are you have let out a grunt or a groan. While the grunts are typically saved for lifting weights at the gym, it's not uncommon to let one out during an everyday movement.
You may be thinking that if you are in good physical shape or are young you shouldn't have discomfort, and therefore have no need to groan or grunt when moving. However, age isn't the only factor to consider — the reason for grunting can be as simple as a learned behavior or habit (via Huffington Post). This means you may be grunting subconsciously without any reason, or your body just may need an extra push to complete your task.
Grunting is also heard on the tennis courts, or in the gym. Whether it's scientifically backed or not, the extra push with vocalizing seems to enhance performance.
Does grunting help with muscle performance?
One professor of physical therapy at the Holland School of Sciences & Mathematics in Texas tells Insider that it could be the "communication signal from the part of the brain that controls breathing to the part that prompts muscle function." Grunting or deeply exhaling could also enhance muscle performance — or at the very least, release some of the pent up energy from exerting yourself.
But what if you're not trying to do any type of workout and your grunt is accompanied by pain? While grunting doesn't actually help with the pain itself, the release you experience during a grunt or groan can be the way you handle what you're asking your body to do physically, physical therapist Lisa Fodden told Huffington Post.
Experts say that grunting while moving typically isn't a sign of anything too serious. But if you want to stop the grunting, you may want to add in regular stretching and exercises to your daily routine. If you are concerned about pain caused from daily movement, you should seek medical attention from a physical therapist.