The way we stand can often show a lot about how your body is aligned and holding you up. We are all affected by past injury or current pain if it isn’t resolved. This can lead to bad posture, which in turn can increase the pain we feel.
How to tell if you are lopsided…
Stand in front of a mirror or better still get someone to take a picture of you. Make sure you are standing in a comfortable and relaxed way, if you need to drop a hip or tilt your head don’t worry for now, just stand in a way that is comfy for you.
Is one hip dropped, a knee bent?
Does one knee point inwards?
Are you putting weight evenly through your feet, front to back?
Is your head tilted to one side?
Is your upper body leaning forwards?
Do you need to lock your knees?
Are your shoulders the same height?
Does one hip stick out more than the other?
Now look at yourself in the mirror or the picture and think about how you are standing.
If you answered yes to any one the questions above, chances are you are a bit lopsided. Whilst you might not be in pain now, any of these observations can be indicators to future problems due to the way the muscle is holding. It can be too tight or over stretched meaning other areas of your body are impacted too. Long term ‘lop-sidedness’ can result in wear and tear in one side more than the other, this can then lead to more problems such as arthritis.
Bowen is a brilliant way to remind your body to straighten up and release muscle tension. This can help pain you might be experiencing now and help prevent problems from developing in the future.