So many people have pain and discomfort in their bodies and often feel that they have tried everything to get themselves better.
They come to see me with piles of forms from all the different practitioners that they have been seeing over time. Some have experienced short-term relief but nothing that can be sustained and some get worse.
This list most commonly consists of a chiropractor, physiotherapist, osteopath, or regular massage of some sort, acupuncture, yoga, personal trainers, MRI’s, scans or have seen surgeons and musculoskeletal specialists.
Frustration and worry ensue after spending money and time with little or unsatisfactory results whilst becoming wary to try another modality or practitioner, and still being in pain or discomfort.
All of these practitioners may be the best in their field, but often a big picture approach is not used. An example is that the client has pain and goes only to the chiropractor.
The chiropractor does what they do best and adjusts joints that are misaligned this can definitely relieve pain and discomfort, allowing the nervous system to flow to the organs and muscles, albeit temporarily.
I just love the chiro and keep my spine in tip top condition on a regular basis.
People get confused when they don’t get lasting results. But you must understand that just using the chiro is like just using the electrician to build the house. It is a piece of the puzzle but there are many other things that need addressing.
Building The House Theory
I like to make it understandable by using the “house” analogy. In the building industry there will be a project manager, builder, plumber, electrician, carpet layer and so forth. They all come in at the appropriate time to complete the task at hand.
To get our bodies out of pain, strong and functioning correctly we must use a similar approach. This is my specialty and I get many people not only out of pain but in better shape than ever before.
It is important to think long term when it comes to our structural health. We have to live in these bodies for many years to come. The problems that you have now if not handled correctly will be worse in 5 years, 10 years and so on.
Aged people can get so weak that they can’t get out of a chair or they need a frame to support themselves.
Posture is one of the most unrevealed best kept secrets – poor posture leads to many dysfunctions within the body from back, shoulder, and hip displacements to ankle discomfort – this can cause general aches and pains through to debilitating pain throughout the body.
If people corrected their posture we would have much less orthopedic problems and surgeries. So many people are told they need surgery when they actually have postural issues.
Good posture makes you look 10 years younger, creating optimal shape and curves in all the right places.
A Postural assessment includes the use of a plumb line to look at the distortions within the body that could be causing pain and discomfort.
Then a series of muscle length/tension tests will identify what muscles are weak and need strengthening; which ones are too tight and need stretching, what joints need mobilizing, etc. Spinal curves and pelvic angles are measured.
All of these look at static posture. Movement patterns are also assessed. This detailed assessment provides the information necessary to move forward and develop a highly skilled, individual programme to correct your postural imbalance.
Within the assessment we discuss your pain and discomfort:
What you have previously done about it?
What other practitioners you have seen?
What you are currently doing exercise wise?
Your sporting requirements?
Your goals, time and commitment levels?
Your over-all health and abilities?
And of course a full measure up of the body to find imbalances!
It is this high-caliber unique postural assessment that gives the ability to look at the ‘whole’ picture. This is what sets it apart from many other modalities
These assessments are both proven and comprehensive – to identify the cause – not treat the effect – for you to achieve your true potential.
Perfect posture is essential for athletes – the more athletic that you are the more you need correct alignment
How Do I Know If I Need A Postural Assessment?
You may feel pain, discomfort, weakness and/or tight muscles, or even twisted. You may have recurring injuries to yourself within your sport. You might be aware of your slouched position. You might want to be functional, strong and pain free for sport and life.
You may have been told you need surgery or have already had surgery.
You are an athlete wanting to improve your sport
You have pain and can’t play your sport to your full potential or unable to play at all.
You may be a mum or dad wanting to play with their kid’s as they get older.
You may be a busy corporate that want to train intelligently.
Posture Correction
A postural assessment tells me exactly what I need to teach you to correct your posture. From the assessment a specific tailored plan is written and the coaching begins.
Re-correction starts with learning where your body should be in space. We must know how to organize and stack our body up correctly just like bricks stacked on top of each other.
At first these new positions feel very foreign and it is hard to hold them for any length of time. But with consistent reinforcement, education and practice of the specific exercises you learn, over time you will have a fabulous new posture that is no longer hard to hold.
This is a big learning curve, adventure and re-education and self-discovery of your body in all planes of movement – much more than just standing up straight. We have all heard we need to put our shoulders back or stand up straight.
Not only are these the wrong cues, it is it not something we can hold for more than a few seconds. Old patterns die-hard and expert help is needed regularly to make sustainable change.
Below are questions frequently asked about posture correction!
Can I Correct My Posture?
Yes you can definitely correct your posture if you are willing to do the work that is required -if you do decide to put in the time and effort you will have better posture than ever before!
What Are The Benefits Of Posture Correction?
- Postural aches and drag on your neck, back and shoulders diminish.
- Joints can rest easy in their optimal position. Tightness and tension melts away over time.
- You can breathe with ease as the diaphragm and ribcage is not tight and collapsed.
- Your nervous system can work freely to supply power to your body. Your organs can live in their correct place.
- Your energy is not under constant drain from discomfort, pain and stress.
- You know how to move, lift and bend correctly so you don’t keep hurting yourself.
- You know how to exercise in optimal position to continue correcting your posture.
- Your sport improves.
- You look IO years younger with all curves in the right place. You stand out from the crowd as nearly everyone else has poor posture. You look confident.
- You become injury free. You sleep better.
How Long Will It Take To Correct My Posture?
Correcting posture is a long-term project, not a quick fix.
If you were to learn a language would you learn it quickly or spread it out over a longer time becoming fluent-rather than the odd sentence. Learning to correct posture is the same.
In the early phase of learning you’ll need more tuition to change strongly ingrained patterns and over time you do more on your own.
The more attention you give your new skills and exercises and integrate them into your daily life the faster it will be.
I have many clients that are making amazing changes very quickly when they have the desire, dedication and discipline . It’s such a pleasure to see.
Do I Need A Gym?
Your program is developed to suit you and your lifestyle.
If you are gym based we will utilize that, if not you can workout from home with a Swiss ball and other equipment.
Will I Have Exercises To Do Myself?
You will have specific exercises the moment you start your coaching. You will be given great tools to back up your ‘re-posturing’,
A detailed online program as well as each exercise videoed on your phone so you have all instructions to practice at home or at the gym.
No matter what exercise or sport you are doing, correcting your posture will help. If you don’t know exactly where your body position should be you cannot possibly train it to stay there.
How Do We Get Poor Posture?
Our bodies have been in poor position for many years. From childhood we slouch at our desk, carry heavy bags; children hanging on our hips. falls off bikes or other knocks and bangs.
Most of us have never learnt how to hold and move our bodies. This gets worse as we age.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Michelle Owen – Postural Specialist, Corrective High Performance Exercise Kinesiologist.
Great. So glad you are enjoying the article here.
Great. So glad you are enjoying the articles here.
I loved your post ! I read your blog fairly often and
you always come up with gret stuff ! I shared this on my Facebook and my followers loved it !
Keep up the good work !