Posture is more than just a matter of looking poised and confident. It plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being. From the way we sit at our desks to how we stand while waiting for the bus, our posture can have significant effects on various aspects of our health, both short-term and long-term.
Posture refers to the position in which you hold your body while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture means that your body is aligned in a way that places the least strain on your muscles and ligaments. This alignment allows the body to function efficiently, reducing the risk of injury and minimizing discomfort.
Poor posture directly impacts your joints and muscles and can contribute to conditions such as chronic neck pain, headaches and even temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
“The body’s original blueprint design is balanced right to left, front to back and the ankle, knee hip and shoulders are all stacked vertically,” said Catee Ingwersen, Posture Alignment Specialist. “The head sits level centered over the spine and all the joints are right angles to the body. The spine is a vertical line running through the center of the body. Once the spine is out of alignment from an injury or everyday work positioning, everything else shifts resulting in muscle dysfunction and pain.”
Ingwersen likens the spine of the body to the axle of a car. If the axle is perfectly straight the wheels are at right angles. But if the axle is bent, the wheels get out of alignment and the ball joints and tires wear unevenly. The same is true if the spine is bent. Your spine is designed to support your body and protect the spinal cord, but improper alignment can lead to a range of issues. Over time, slouching or slumping can contribute to the development of conditions such as kyphosis (a rounded upper back), lordosis (an exaggerated inward curve of the lower back), and even herniated discs.
“Traditional medicine doesn’t treat the body as a unit,” Ingwersen reflected. “They only go after the specific pain and ignore the fact that the spine is the blueprint design. We have way more control over our muscular skeletal system than we are led to believe and there is no reason a patient can’t get better alignment with a personalized exercise program.
“I have a 95 percent success rate if clients follow the program and do their exercises at home, as well as with me during our sessions. By re-training your body to hold its original blueprint design and restoring normal weight-bearing joint function, you can give your body the opportunity to heal itself and get rid of pain naturally, without manipulation, medication or surgery.”
Ingwersen utilizes a posture alignment program created by Egoscue Institute designed to restore pain-free function to the body through exercises and stretches that balance the vertical load of the spine and load bearing joints.
“I dove into the field of posture alignment because of my own pain I experienced as a massage therapist,” Ingwersen explained. “I had a client who shared that she had to take a leave of absence from a teaching job because she was in so much pain. She visited Mayo Clinic and numerous doctors with no relief. Then she found an Egoscue therapist and discovered her posture was the root of her pain. Her posture was so bad that it gave her some nerve compression. After working with the therapist for a few months, she was pain free.
“I became a client of an Egoscue therapist myself and was amazed how fast changes happened. I wanted to help others, so I contacted the Egoscue Institute and enrolled in their certification program. It took me a year to become certified and I’ve been helping others relieve their pain through spinal correction for the past 14 years.”
The system was founded in 1971 by Pete Egoscue, a Vietnam veteran suffering from chronic pain. According to the Institute’s website, there are 25 Egoscue clinics that have treated more than 1 million patients.
The system is based on the idea that muscles can move bones out of place over time and muscles can move bones back into place, too – with the right stimulus.
The body is bifunctional, meaning that the right and left sides are designed to do the same things and that the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons are meant to be identical. Any differences between the right and left side, or front and back of the body, will lead to some form of dysfunction.
Imbalance means work and weight loads are transferred to other parts of the body ill equipped to do the job and over time will lead to wear and tear on the muscular and skeletal systems. This is how the cycle of pain and limited mobility begins. The more we hurt, the less we move. Some muscles get stronger by compensating for those that are weaker and the body becomes imbalanced.
“Any little compensation turns into a dysfunction,” Ingwersen said. “Then that dysfunction turns into another compensation. It’s a vicious cycle that can only be corrected by restoring the body’s original blueprint.”
Posture can also influence our mental and emotional health. Standing upright can lead to feelings of confidence and positivity. Conversely, slouching is associated with feelings of depression and decreased energy levels. Even small adjustments that improve your posture can have a positive impact on your mood and self-esteem.
Ingwersen said a simple 45-minute consultation allows her to pinpoint where the spine is out of balance.
“I take photos of my client in different standing positions and load them into special software that analyzes joint position. Then I take a video of them walking. I can show my client exactly where the problem lies and devise an exercise program that will correct the misalignment. My goal is to improve joint function and alleviate the pain and limitations.
We are not chasing symptoms. Instead, we fix the underlying cause. Once the spine is aligned correctly, the pain and limitations disappear.”
Catee Ingwersen is a Posture Alignment Specialist certified by the Egoscue Institute, a PTX license therapist, and a Corrective Exercise Therapist trained by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is the owner/practitioner of the Posture Clinic located at 489 22nd Place, Vero Beach. Call 772-559-1532 to schedule a consultation.
