10 Things Posture Therapy Can Do For You!

This summer marks my five-year posture therapy anniversary. In this article, I reflect on what I have gained from the process and what you may also achieve through this therapy.

I began my posture therapy career as a client in debilitating pain. Because I was intrigued by this unconventional therapeutic approach and well positioned to build on my exercise science knowledge, I quickly enrolled in the certification program. In 2010 I earned the highest therapy certification offered by Egoscue^® University. And at the end of 2009, I quit my day job. I have been assisting clients full-time ever since. It has been quite a journey. Below are some of the benefits my clients and I have gained through the process of regaining posture and function.

1. End pain and surgery

When I started posture therapy, I could barely bend over. I was averaging one orthopedic surgery every other year for eight years. Now I can easily touch my toes and have stayed out of the operating room since starting my daily posture exercises.

2. Expand activities and sports

It has been a long time since I have enjoyed swimming. Prior to posture therapy, my only sports-like activity was in the pool as I pulled with my upper body while a buoy passively supported my lower body. Eventually, even this movement became painful on my back.

Now I have to choose what I want to do each day. There are so many options! I can run, bike, hike, ski, lift weights, rock climb, golf and even full body swim for pleasure.

3. Reduce fear through enhanced body awareness

If your body is constantly breaking down and hurting, you become afraid to use it and move. You fear the pain, and you don't want to make things worse. Next, you start questioning what you should and shouldn't do. As a result, you end up doing less and less. In other words, it is usually the unknown that makes us fret.

Instead, if you gain an understanding your body, its postural disparities and tendencies, and the root cause of your pain, you can alleviate your fear. Knowledge is power! Once you have clarity on the problem, you can take appropriate action.

4. Raise self-confidence and self-trust

When we feel powerless, we have low confidence. So, when we rely on someone else to "fix" us, we give our power away to that person. Posture therapy provides the tools you need to take care of yourself, which is empowering. For example, on a Sunday afternoon when your massage therapist, chiropractor or body worker of choice is not available, you know what to do to help yourself feel better. You learn to trust yourself and your instincts about what you need.

5. Provide validation and answers

Most of my clients had been to various professionals, seeking relief from their symptoms. Eventually, they  come to me as a last resort. This was similar to me and my path to posture therapy. Like my clients, I felt that I had nowhere else to turn. Additionally, some have been told the pain is all in their head when the X-rays, MRIs and Ultrasounds are negative.

Having been through it myself, I understand and am empathic. Since the body is interconnected and complex, the pain and the source may be at opposite ends of the body. For example, an X-ray of the neck will not lead you to the conclusion that your pain is coming from your ankle position. Posture therapy will connect those dots and help you see your body in its entirety. It can help reveal the cause of your pain, not just treat the symptom.

6. Give hope for the future

After the doctors have told us not to do favorite activities ever again and presented a bleak picture of our future, posture therapy brings a refreshing message of hope. My therapist never limited my activities. I do the same for my clients. Just because something hurts now doesn't mean it will always hurt or that there is even something wrong with your hip, foot, knee, or wherever the pain is currently located. The pain is a message that your body isn't ready for the demand of the activity. You need to regain function and form first. Then, possibilities will open.

7. Increase height and improve organ function

The last time I was measured at the doctors, I had grown taller! My clients have also experienced an increase in their vertical stature. Lengthening the spine, opening the chest and reducing rounding of the shoulders leads to higher numbers on the measuring stick.

Organs also benefit from the increased torso space. The space allows you to breathe fuller (athletes: think "improved endurance"), digest better and have improved bowel function (no more constipation and cramping). It also allows more oxygen and blood flow to the head, resulting in a relief in headaches, vertigo and dizziness.

8. Deepen and lengthen sleep

Pain makes it hard to sleep. When my back was at its worse, I would be forced out of bed very early. Obviously, I would become frustrated with the pain and not being able to find a comfortable position to sleep in, despite my fatigue. Clients that weren't able to sleep on their sides due to hip pain now enjoy many hours of rest in this position.

9. Enhance strength and athletic performance

Strength comes from an aligned body with balanced muscles and proper musculoskeletal function. This is the goal of the posture therapy exercises. These specific movements remove compensations and retrain the body in aligned position and movement.

Taking these correctly performed, small, isolating movements and combining them into complex sports skills leads to enhanced results. You will be able to exert more power, move more efficiently and stave off fatigue when the body is working as designed.

Although I was off the bike for a few years, now that my body is more functional, I feel stronger when I ride. I am able to clear obstacles that previously eluded my abilities.

10. Build patience, gratitude and peace

Instead of taking my body and talents for granted, I am now grateful for what I can do and that I don't hurt most of the time. The posture exercises have given me an opportunity to slow down and tune into my body. This is something I was not willing to do before. Now I feel more calmness and peace. I can slow down and relax, giving my body needed recovery. I feel as though I am no longer working against my body, hating and resenting my pain. Instead, I have a deep understanding of my body and the knowledge and tools to take care of myself now and into the future.