How Posture Therapy Works

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How Posture Therapy Works

It is common for people to come to my classes or consult with me privately about a physical pain or diagnosis they may have received. Usually, it is validated by X-Rays, MRI’s and other compelling diagnostic evidence. Bursitis, arthritis, low back pain, spinal disk or hip issues that include degenerative conditions can present themselves when the body habitually moves in ways it is not designed. All this can happen due to injury, lifestyle and a host of other causes.

In the absence of a true medical disease pain, balance or movement problems are often the effects of musculoskeletal imbalance and resulting postural misalignment. As Pete Egoscue, the author of “Pain Free”, states, “It’s the position [posture} not the condition” of our bodies that is so often at the root of this type of problem. Read below for a more detailed outline of my programs and how they may help you find your way back to a Pain-Free lifestyle and the activities and life you love.

You can also click here for a pdf of my brochure with more information about me and the program.

What follows is a more detailed understanding of how the Posture Therapy approach to Chronic pain and movement problems differs from symptomatic treatments and how it may be your way to removing the mystery of these problems and offer more lasting solutions.

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Looking at our individual posture and how it deviates from this model offers information and perspective on how yur alignement and movement problems are impacting your life so you can correct it.

Except in cases of birth defects or traumatic injuries, the skeleton is designed very simply. When the body is properly aligned, it is positioned like this:

  • The head is centered over level shoulders
  • The shoulders sit directly over level hips
  • The hips are firmly planted over symmetrical knees
  • The knees and ankles are aligned with feet pointed straight forward

—From: "The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion by Pete Egoscue"(www.egsocue.com) We call this the “90-degree rule of function”.

The Problem:

If these weight-bearing joints deviate from a 90-degree angle, the body compensates to maintain balance to hold itself up and move. Some parts aren’t working properly (they’re dysfunctional) and these are considered the cause of the problem. We view the symptom as the effect of Posture and movement limitation and undei effort and stress in the body.. They develop as other part of the body take over, or compensate, to try to help out to make up for movment limitations. Over time, the inefficiency of this new pattern of posture and movement creates problems or symptoms that become chronic and can seem intractable.

Postural mis-alignment and the movement that results are specific to each person. Injuries, emotional trauma, work and lifestyle, development, lifestylke and a host of other factors in our life history can contribute to both our strengths and vulnerabilities. Every day, I am privileged to witness people rediscover how their posture and movement reflects their past, and how working to change it in positive ways can transform the future.

Our Postural Solution:

This potetial of transformation toward healthier movment and a apin free lifestyle begins in therapy with a comprehensive postural analysis and additional movement testing. The client and I can determine directly how any imbalances discovered may be at the root of their problems. We try to stay away from just blaming one thing or another—the right hip is too tight, the abdominal muscles are weak, etc. Though these things may be true and likely have importance, chasing things down in the way ignores one important thing. Why? Why is that hip tight, why are the abdominals weak, etc.? To address both cause and symptom we can observe and test how all this is related to each other in the body. We can then treat the musculoskeletal cause of the problem as it shows up as an imbalance in the overall posture.

The “posturism” here is that we “treat the body as a unit”. Based on assessments of present movement and posture patterns, simple corrective yoga and functional movement exercise sequences tailored individual needs and goals are then formulated to perform at home. When done consistently, these menus are intended to address the presenting imbalances and dysfunctions and restore more optimal alignment and movement patterns. This gives the body a chance to utilize its own healing capacity to resolve the pain and moment symptoms over time.

As changes unfold, we continue to reassess to help assure progression in their therapy to improve posture according to goals that have been set. With this program, we offer help in learning the exercises, a printout of exercise instructions for home, and easy access to video demonstrations and instructions online for reference. Support and follow-up are built into the process in accordance with the clients’ needs.

This creates a complete program of support as they progress on their path of recovery.

The exciting and empowering part of the therapy we do is that as things unfold clients’ understanding of the problems can grow. There becomes a true collaboration in recovery. It has been a great joy over the years to help students and clients become empowered to read the body’s messages, diminish fears and recover trust in the instincts we all have about our well-being. This may be the greatest reward of all!

I am happy to offer free individual consultation via phone (203)488-1700 or in my Guilford and Woodbridge Connecticut studio locations. The assessment is to help to understand you how your posture and movement pattern may be getting in the way of your activities and pain-free lifestyle. This can be an eye-opener as many have found brief conversation has helped them make sense of how this posturally based approach is so unique in the way it can address pain, balance and movement problems that have taken away activities or impaired them in living the life they desire.