Body alignment completely changed

[Rylie]

I got a real fright when I looked in a full length mirror the other day. My torso isn't straight anymore.

In a standing position, my whole torso has a pronounced lean to the right. My left side is a bit concave compared to the straight line thats on the right side. No matter how I position myself (moving weight onto different feet etc), I have a very noticeable lean to the right.

It only returns to a straight alignment when I sit.

I was only aware of walking with a bit of a limp and keeping the weight off my painful left side, but this has freaked me out a bit. It's scary to think that this could happen in a few short months.

Has anyone else had a similar effect after months of back and sciatica pain? And what are the chances of getting my natural alignment back again?

 

[Leeu]

Hello Jim,

Just visit a remedial massage therapist for an assessment and they will either deal with your problem or refer you to someone who can.

Myarka.

 

[Kicking Bear]

Hi Jim

I would also recommend you get into the practice of hatha yoga. I teach hatha yoga and it will help a lot with strengthening your body as well as allignment. Obviously since you have a lot of pain at the moment it is important you start gradually.

Love and blessing
Medini

 

[cxossisj]

Chronic pain can cause a person to adapt awkward posture in an attempt to circumvent the pain. Muscles can become used to being in the wrong position. I agree that massage therapy might be helpful in resolving the problem.

 

[?Jasmine?]

Jim, yes this has happened to me, it is the body adapting to alleviate the painful pressure on the discs and bones. Be careful about changing because in your situation you may inadvertantly upset the apple cart. I am sure your surgeon will have noted the change too and will add this to the reasons for surgery.
Sometimes with the best will in the world, putting the spine and posture back to a normal stance is not the right course of action when there are significant underlying spinal causes. But that is my opinion after trying several methods and seeing the problems they can cause.

 

[Curious gurl]

Hi Cassie, yes, tackling the body's compensations alone can make things worse. Remember that in essence surgery does not treat cause either, unless we believe the cause of the 7th domino toppling is the 6th domino, which has limited merit.

On the other hand, this problem didn't arrive from nowhere, it too has a cause with some mechanical elements.

In manual therapy, the trick is to tackle the postural causes of the problem, and let the body then recover. Tackling the body's compensations, whilst leaving cause in place, can be disastrous.

This doesn't mean you should avoid manual therapy, it means that you need a practitioner who understands the difference between cause and effect.

 

[MCorporalAdams]

Yep kvdp (what does that stand for I wonder?) Sometimes it is alignment, sometimes it is an accident, sometimes it is a cause that can be removed.

 

[Marzhelmus]

I believe that my disc degeneration is a mostly a result of poor posture and lifestyle (sedentary job etc) although there are other contributing factors (age and possible osteoperosis). However, fixing my posture is not an option for me just now while I'm in this kind of pain. Believe me I've tried. I've had many sessions of Alexander Technique (something I'm a big believer in becuase it has worked miracles for me in the past) but right now it's not helping me at all; it's just too painful to maintain a straight line.

So I'm resigned to the surgical route, and fixing the 7th domino as you would describe it kvdp. And I hope there's a chance that my posture and alignment will return to normal naturally, if and when I don't feel that back and leg pain anymore.

If that re-alignment doesn't happen on its own, I'll then see a physical therapist (AT, massage, osteo perhaps).

 

[dikqrpbf]

Well, I'm not sure I'd describe post surgery convalescence as 'naturally', what happens afterwards only proves that the body can recover, as it always does given a reasonable chance. The reason it's got to the point of requiring surgery is that it hasn't recovered naturally, so something's not giving it a chance.

Surgery doesn't remove the cause of the problem, that will still probably be present - unless the post-op period means you'll be off that sedentary job for a while.

It is reasonable to ask if it is actually the rest period that cures the problem and not the knife. Would a few weeks off be more difficult to justify to the boss without surgery than with? The thing is that these problems don't happen to lazy people.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing against surgery, I can't assess that need from there. Likewise, don't assume that surgery will be the end of all problems, it can help, and may be necessary, but it is not a miracle and the risks are very real, and this forum is full of people who have got worse, not better, and come here asking 'now what?'. That's a much harder question to answer.

It's actually harder, not easier to see the case after the surgery and then have to try and sort everything out with a patient who's been left high and dry. If you think you may need an osteopath afterwards, it might be adviseable to at least make contact with them beforehand and see what they think of that plan?

I'm slightly confused that you're a big believer in Alexander Technique and in the same breath say that it hasn't sorted this problem; perhaps in the long run it's actually contributed to the problem? Surely your experience is evidence of the limitations of Alexander, not everyone elses methods?

Is it just possible something is missing from this picture?

 

[Katy]

Sorry to hear about your pain Jim.

I know several people who have also had success with Alexander Technique but it might be worth trying other alternative treatments before you result to surgery. Osteopathy, physiotherapy etc all have their merits as does regular home traction, using an inversion table or Nubax Trio (although osteoporosis is contraindicated for inversion) to decompress the vertebrae. Depending on the cause of your current pain, they maybe more effective.

Pete

 

[grandma zaza]

Jim if you really think that bad posture and lifestyle can cause,and in fact have caused this disc degeneration then I would look far more deeply at your posture now. Do you have bunions? Do your feet pronate? Is there a problem starting at the bottom and working up that grows as it rises? What about your ankles, knees and hips? how do they align? Is one leg shorter than the other?
I have a wonderful chiro that keeps me walking, and I use the Alexander technique too, but sometimes just fixing the feet can make a massive change to the spine.
Most chiros and ostepaths do free half hour assessments, why not book for one now and see.

I have been through everything I can think of to try and help my condition, please make sure you do too, what about accupuncture, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, they are all availoable on the nhs.

 

[Jne_Uwambe]

At this stage in the process I'd advise against doing anything without personal guidance from a qualified practitioner.

 

[mushroom]

I understand what you're saying, kvdp. But I can get as much rest and convalescence as I like. I'm self employed and work from home and my condition doesn't affect my ability to work at all. I guess I'm very lucky that way. I can literally work on my back, if I choose to. I don't of course, but I can rest, take the weight off, as much as I like, for as long as I like. So from that point of view, rest has not improved my condition. And also, post surgery, I'll be able to rest as much as I like, but still work, as I do now.

I'm not kidding myself about surgery. I understand the risks and I've seen the statistics. But at this moment, when I haven't shown any improvement at all using other methods and treatments, I consider it a risk well worth taking.

As far as Alexander Technique goes, it works for a lot of people and it worked for me at one time. There may be a considerable placebo effect in there (I believe that's true of most alternative treatments) but that's not a bad thing in my opinion. I just think I reached a point beyond where AT could help me. It's possible that I've had a prolapsed disc for some years but originally it was much smaller so it wasn't pressing on the nerve, therefore I wasn't getting the same level of pain. Maybe AT helped me to control that prolapse for a while, but now the prolapse is too big that no amount of physical stimulation (and that also includes massage, chiro, osteo, and spinal traction devices) is going to make that prolapse shrink back into the disc. I've also had this confirmed by 2 different surgeons.

 

[*w0wZ* [mALiSSa]

Pete, please don't get me started on the Nubax Trio. That's £200 I'll never get back. Actually I probably could if I sold it on ebay etc but I'd feel guilty about the poor sod using it afterwards.

 

[Lauroendurn]

Jim100 you may well be right.

I would, however, like to set the record straight on one point. That is that a surgeon is not usually qualified to say what an osteopath may or may not be able to do for the problem. The osteopath may bring understanding to bear of which the medical surgeon may be quite unfamiliar. As a primary care practitioner, the osteopath is the one who has to make that assessment, and is the one who is culpable if wrong. Furthermore, my experience is that many (although not all) surgeons have little or no knowledge of osteopathy, believe incorrectly that it always means manipulation of the spine, or think it is in effect the same as physiotherapy.

In other words, if you want to know what an osteopath may or may not be able to do for the problem, then ask the osteopath.

That's all!

Good luck.

 

[Reiki Chick]

Hi

Prior to my first op 8 years ago, my consultant got me to strip down to my undies to check my body alignment. Apparently they can tell who has a genuine back problem from the way we stand.

Maz

 

[Austin Lane]

Yeah, I've been told by both a surgeon and a radiologist that I wasn't standing straight. The radiologist even asked me if " I usually stood like that".

But it never really hit home until I saw it for myself in the mirror.

 

[Jens]

Is it ony the women that get asked to undress?

Jim? Did you have to strip down to your undies?

 

[moel]

It's easier to do a 12 point posture check when a client is in their undies.

Myarka

 

[ayrond A]

Hi Jim
Sorry it sounds like you have had a bad experience with the Nubax, may I ask what problems you experienced?

I bought one a year ago from Australia to see what they were like and both my wife and I find it offers good traction for the lower back, which seems to work as well as the inversion table at keeping us pain free. Many people since have found it helps immensely with their back pain. So far I have only come across people with neck/shoulder problems who find problems with it, but then that is a contraindication of its use.

Pete