Bothersome Back Issues? Posture May be to Blame
The topic of posture is near and dear to my back. Not quite the way the saying goes but oh so much truer this way for me. My posture was causing all sorts of debilitating pain. Pain in my hip. Pain in my sciatic nerve.
Sleeping, sitting and worst of all getting up from either of those was excruciating. I relentlessly sought a solution for my hip and leg pain.
Foam rolling, massage, Arrosti, chiropractors, sports medicine doctors, etc, etc etc. All of these brought temporary relief. However each time I returned to my normal activities, the pain would return sending me right back to therapy. I started feeling like I was just a revenue stream for countless people.
One thing about me is that I am tenacious when it comes to digging down to the root cause. Dog with a bone or so they say. Ok…truth be told I am also super cheap so spending hundreds of dollars with no permanent solution was not an attractive option.
Identify and Correct Misalignment
One day during one of these deep dives, I discovered the website Posturedirect.com and my path to relief truly began.
The person responsible for this fabulous website is Mark, a physiotherapist obsessed with posture. Bingo! Just the man the doctor ordered.
The posture direct website did require that I identify my problem myself. The easiest way I found to do just that is to set the timer on my phone’s camera app. Setting the phone on the bathroom counter, I took photos of my back and each side.
Okay, so no one wants to start clicking pictures of their backside. I get it but it is an absolute must. You don’t know what you’re dealing with until you know. Plus the misalignment that is clearly displayed in each photo will make your jaw drop.
Through analysis of these pictures, I found that my right hip is higher than my left. My right hip flexor is pulling forward more than my left. And, last but not least, that my left shoulder is higher than my right.
Searching Posturedirect.com for one hip higher and lo and behold exercises for lateral pelvic tilt popped up. Who knew I had a lateral pelvic tilt?!
Following the in-depth releases, stretches and strengthening exercises, I slowly felt improvement. The most gratifying thing is taking pictures before and after performing the exercises and seeing your posture improve. Pictures also help with motivation to continue the process.
Play the Long Game
Now for the really, really disappointing news. Misalignment and dysfunction didn’t happen overnight and it certainly can’t be fixed in a day. Your posture problems have probably been going on for a long time. You must play the long game!
The great news is that these stretches and exercises did provide some immediate relief from my pain. It took time and patience but now I have found a streamlined approach that works for me.
Hopefully you will find relief as well.
Cheers to your health!
DISCLAIMER: This website is for informational purposes. I am not a health practitioner and no information should be construed as personal medical advice or diagnosis.
