What is PAT?

posture alignment therapy

Posture Alignment Therapy is a corrective exercise program that addresses the muscular imbalances that cause misaligned joint position, faulty movements patterns and eventual pain/symptoms. We look at the body as a whole, not just where you are presenting with symptoms, to put the posture puzzle pieces together. Gentle stretches and movements will specifically target the muscle groups that aren’t working properly in order to relieve the ones that are overworking (often the sight of your pain).

In standing position, your load bearing joints (see image) are designed to line up both vertically and horizontally. This way, the forces of gravity are evenly distributed.

As postural muscles become dysfunctional through daily misuse, disuse or injury, the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, digestive and essentially all systems of the body become compromised and are subject to compensation and eventual pain and injury.

Your body is a miraculous system that works as a unit and should be treated as such. By only focusing on the site of pain, you will not likely determine the cause of the pain. Your pain is the result of lack of movement somewhere in the body, not the cause. Together, we can find the areas that aren’t working and apply the appropriate amount of stimulus to regain your mobility and function.

Your alignment is dependent on muscular balance.  All of your joints- ankles, knees, hips and shoulders- are designed to line up both vertically and horizontally (See Function Freddy Model, above).  If there is any deviation from this when you stand or move, some muscles are over-working and others are under-working – you are out of balance.  At some point those muscles and joints will let you know that something is wrong in the only way they can – pain! The human body's design is sturdy and fool proof unless there are misalignments present.  You are not broken, weak or old, you just don’t move enough to maintain your designed alignment. I am here to help!

The goal of Posture Alignment Therapy is to gently stretch, engage and strengthen the deeper postural muscles to facilitate them to function properly and maintain the correct alignment of your bones and joints. With better alignment, your body will be given the chance to fully heal. If the misalignment is not corrected, the faulty movement will continue to to cause damage.  Drugs and surgeries will only provide temporary relief of SYMPTOMS.  Fixing the alignment issue that caused the symptom will allow the body to function correctly, efficiently, and ultimately pain free for life. 

Correcting your alignment is a process, not an event. A significant lifestyle change is needed in order for your body to heal. Clients should expect to do therapy for at least 3-6 months before seeing lasting relief.

If you experience chronic or episodic pain of any type and are ready to take responsibility for your health, please schedule your initial 90 minute posture alignment therapy session. Stop chasing the symptoms and get to the underlying cause of your pain.  It's time to learn how to permanently fix yourself!

 If you want more details on the method used at Vital Balance, please visit Egoscue.com. You can also try the exercises from Pete Egoscue’s book "Pain Free" or simply schedule a FREE posture consultation with Kaylie Sanders. 

What to expect from a PAT session:

  • Work one on one with an experienced Posture Alignment Specialist (PAS) certified by the Egoscue University.

  • The initial session is about 90 minutes and includes health history, posture photos, gait analysis and discussion of how the load-bearing joints all align in relation to the line of gravity and how this may lead to your pain. After further functional testing, a custom "menu" of gentle "e-cises" is methodically prescribed in a sequence specific to your body's dysfunctions and compensations.

  • Each "e-cise" is performed with therapist instruction so that you can confidently execute them daily at home.

  • Exercises are emailed to the client and include photos, detailed step-by-step written instructions as well as videos. You can also access your exercises by downloading The Egoscue Method App!

  • At each subsequent visit your posture will be reassessed and you will receive a new set of exercises to further improve your balance, range of motion, and flexibility. Changes can be felt immediately, but long-term muscle re-education takes time. Every body is different.

  • Changing your posture is an ongoing process, not a quick fix. Clients report an immediate decrease in symptoms and improvement of movement and mood at the very first session, but lasting results take time and vary from client to client.

Keys to successful online therapy

  •  Preferably take the video call from a laptop or tablet so you can easily move around if needed. 

  • Have a cleared area, some wall space and comfortable clothing for exercise. 

  • No special equipment except maybe a few yoga blocks or firm pillows and a yoga strap. We will discuss if anything else is needed. 

  • Do not take pain-killers to mask your pain before your session, if possible. Pain is helpful information when designing a routine.

  • Finally, I recommend all my clients to read the book “Pain Free” by Pete Egoscue to better understand the philosophy and application of the Egoscue Method and for great sample exercises.

How to take posture photos

  • Photos need to be full head to toe front, back and BOTH side profile views.

  • Please wear shorts and a fitted top (shirtless OK for men, Sports bra OK for women) and no shoes or socks so I can see your feet, knees and spine.

  • Good lighting and a blank background will help us see more.

  • Keep the camera at hip height (not angled up or down) and line up the image with a door frame or baseboards to make sure it’s level.

  • Email photos to kaylie@vitalbalancetherapy.com