Postural Assessment

Concerned about your posture and want to know easy tips to prevent postural problems? Whether you have a desk job or a builder. Postural Assessments identify asymmetrical and symmetrical problems that can cause irritation to the soft tissues which can be difficult to manage in unavoidable day-today life such as your workplace.

What can cause asymmetrical postural problems?

There are many factors including;

  • Biomechanical compensations – such as leg length discrepancies and flat-footedness
  • Poor posture – causing overuse in muscles and an increase in tightness
  • Previous injuries –causing soft tissues to tighten due to adhesion formation and scar
    tissue build-up
  • Stress/tension
  • Over-dominance in right/left limb use
  • Disease/Illness

What can cause Symmetrical Postural problems?

There are many factors including all of the above mentioned (discounting leg length
discrepancies) and;

  • Bilateral overuse of musculoskeletal soft tissues – can be accelerated by increased
    activity, e.g. sport or long hours sitting in a bad posture at work.
  • Symmetrical upper/lower limb injury – can be specific or non-specific

Why do I need a postural assessment/treatment?

The assessment identifies any postural problems and the treatment prevents the problem manifesting into a larger one. Many people only opt for an assessment when they are experiencing pain but a postural assessment can act as a prevention of pain in the future if identified early enough.

Many people may not understand why they have pain if there has not been a specific injury and the most self-diagnosed solution is “because I am getting old”. Well the truth is, yes, more aches and pains do correlate with age, however, the reason for this is primarily due to a build-up of tightness in the soft tissues preventing full range of movement and altering posture over time.

If the soft tissues are released early enough with techniques such as massage, then the problem is likely to be fixed, however, if the problem manifests then the skeletal structures may be affected causing the problem to turn irreversible over time. If this is the case then the postural treatment plan will still be able to help you decrease your pain, but it is more likely consist of ways to manage your condition and handle lift better rather than a cure.

What does the postural Assessment consist of?

  • Advice
  • Deep Soft Tissue Massage
  • Biomechanics
  • Joint articulations
  • Strength and conditioning