Alignment

How did Pete Egoscue’s alignment program become a part of the BST puzzle?

For several years, patients asked Terry if she had her training under Pete Egoscue.  Terry had never met Pete at that time but became intrigued with his program especially after her work with Mike Malaska, golf professional, who introduced Terry to Jack Nicklaus, whom she worked with  in 2003, who lived by Pete Egoscue  program for many years with incredible success. One of her patients, who was a physician, gave her Pete's first book: The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion. In 2005, Terry attended ongoing training programs offered through Egoscue University and found the missing pieces of her puzzle.  Terry talked the same language as Pete but with a different approach.  His program put posture and body mechanics in layman’s terms, which coincided with Terry’s instruction, but gave patients specific “E-cises” to help achieve individual goals. 

His program ultimately improved Terry’s assessment skills and his exercises were the missing link.  This brought Body Stabilization Training to the next level of care.  His books have great information for everyone with or without dysfunctional posture. Combining the alignment program with manual therapy and the body mechanics education, allows patients to achieve their goals faster.  His program has been influential in Terry’s personal life as well.  She was able to return to racing bicycles shortly after her neck fusion.  She did not realize the importance in maintaining thoracic extension and flexion in controlling her arm and leg symptoms.  She is a believer in his work and knows exactly the exercises she has to do to fix herself when she has a “flare up”.

There is no one “cure all” to fixing people.  Manual therapy, posture and body mechanics education, alignment, Osteopathic and Chiropractic manipulation, massage therapy, acupuncture, nutrition, and surgery are all pieces of the puzzle.  Once patients are educated in all the disciplines that are out there to help them, they can make an informed decision as to what they need at a particular time to “fix themselves”. 

What is alignment?

Posture and alignment are an integral part of our program at Body Stabilization Training. Our bodies are one long chain and the action at one joint can cause effects that are felt on seemingly opposite parts of the body. If your body is not in proper alignment, it’s impossible to correctly use your muscles as they were designed. Here at BST we have implemented a program based on the Egoscue method through a series of exercises called “E-cises” designed to help your body move most efficiently while sparing your joints, ligaments and tendons.

Take a look at your posture right now…chances are your right arm is reaching out to the mouse while you look at a computer screen that is too high causing you to extend your neck with your feet crossed and tucked under your chair!  By doing this you are rotating your shoulder girdle, trunk and hips without realizing it. Or let’s talk about the opposite…how many of you were told to sit up nice and tall with your head held high and shoulders back when you were growing up? This causes you to extend your neck and mid back while rotating your hips.

The reason we slouch is simple…it feels better because muscles don’t have to work and our bodies prefer the path of least resistance. The funny thing is that the muscles that fatigue when you try to sit up correctly are called postural muscles, this means you are supposed to be using them.  Most people do not…until you come to BST.  We train you to use the correct muscles through alignment and strength training.   

For more information on the Egoscue technique or to purchase Pete Egoscue’s insightful books visit Egoscue.com