Sharon Smith-Carter Movement

05/01/2026

Straight legs don’t mean locked knees — and that one habit might be contributing more than you think.

When we lock or hyperextend our knees, it’s not just about the knees. Besides not being great for the knee joint itself, there’s a ripple effect. Weight shifts to the front of the feet, the pelvis tips forward, and that anterior tilt loads the low back. If you’ve already got an achy back, that’s a problem.

Here’s something to try: take a simple sun-breath — arms float up overhead and back down. Do it once with locked knees, then again with soft knees. Notice the difference.

Think bent knees in straight legs. Just a micro-bend. Nothing dramatic. Try it and let me know what you notice.

kneepain

04/30/2026

When did your shoulder blades forget how to move?

If they’re feeling sticky, this gentle movement will get things sliding and gliding again. I call it the archer’s bow — and all you need is the floor.

Try it — then lay on your back and compare sides.

No stretching required.

04/28/2026

Just for fun… I started playing with this 🤷‍♀️

Chair → kneeling → floor
Working with strength, flexibility, and mobility along the way.

That last one?
New for me — I raised the floor about 6” to start. Not forcing it.
Just finding a way in.

Because this stuff matters… more than we think 🙌🏼

04/26/2026

I’m on the teaching lineup for this year’s Kawartha Yarn & Fibre Festival — and I’m really looking forward to being part of it.

I’ll be offering two classes based on my Knit without the Knots work, for knitters and fibre workers who want to ease the tension that can build over time… so you can keep doing what you love.

Friday June 12 · 5:00–6:15 pm
Saturday June 13 · 12:00–1:15 pm

These are pre-registered sessions, so you’ll need to book ahead.

Details and tickets are in my bio — hope to see you there.

04/25/2026

Years ago I was walking barefoot on the beach and kept feeling like there was a stone in my shoe.

There wasn’t.

It’s called metatarsalgia — that “pebble in your shoe” feeling through the ball of the foot.

I’d never heard of it.
It’s often linked to extra pressure through the front of the foot — higher arches, high-impact sports (hello pickleball), or footwear that loads the forefoot.

It affected how I walked. And when walking changes, everything else can start to fall apart.

I started working with a simple “short foot” exercise to
build strength in the arch and paying attention to how my foot was moving.

If that feeling sounds familiar,
this might be something to try.👣

If you are dealing with foot issues, my somatic colleague, Betty DuPont of Surfside Somatics is running a 4 week virtual series for Feet, Ankles & Legs beginning in May.

Get your feet ready for summer. (Info in comments) 🙏🏻

04/23/2026

Instant Maui is a restorative yoga pose — a bit like a mini vacay.

It’s a gentle inversion that helps shift me into a more relaxed state, supports circulation and lymphatic flow, and gives my low back a breather.🙏🏻

20 minutes.
No flight required 😉

04/22/2026

04/22/2026

The essentials we depend on, and the future we protect. 🌍

"I can't imagine anything more important than air, water, soil, energy and biodiversity. These are the things that keep us alive." David Suzuki

04/21/2026

Seasoned bodies in gentle movement today — we had a little fun with balance.

We started with a few simple balance explorations… then added a bit of “brain gym” (one hand in an OK sign, the other in a little finger “gun,” and switch).

Back to balance — and just like that, things felt steadier, clearer.

A small reminder that balance isn’t just about muscles — it’s your brain paying attention too.
That’s neuroplasticity in action.

Give it a whirl and let me know how you make out.

04/20/2026

I always thought my parents would be here when I was ready to ask about their lives before me.
But it didn’t work out that way, as dementia took away their memories before I was ready to listen.

There’s so much I wish I knew…

Memoir has become a focus for many of us in the weekly writing circle — a chance to remember, reflect, and take the time to pass on our stories, in our own words, while we can.

If any part of that resonates, maybe it’s time to take out a pen and paper… and carve out a little space to begin.

begins this week- Wednesdays online — 9:30–11:30 am ET.

04/17/2026

Mid-afternoon rolls around and your body starts to feel… tight, a little done. Most of us push through—or reach for coffee.

This is a somatic movement—a lazy washrag on the floor, followed by a full-body yawn.
It’s slow, simple, and works from your head to your feet (and everything in between) 🫶

Not stretching. Not forcing.
Just a way to unwind some of the tension your body’s been holding.

If your body’s been feeling it lately… this might be worth a try.

04/16/2026

Knitting doesn’t just shape the yarn — it shapes the body too.

Blocking your project can have you at a table or down on the floor.
It may seem small, but it adds up over time.

Sometimes that shows up as tension, stiffness, or things starting to feel a little harder than they used to.

That’s the part I pay attention to. Movement for the knitters body 🧶🧶