How do I know if I have a dominant pattern that is causing a problem?

How do I know if I have a dominant pattern that is causing a problem?

Asymmetry is something that is essential for our body’s ability to move and shift from side to side as well as for other functions. Being “out of balance” is not essentially bad, however, when we become too “out of balance” pain is not far behind.

Some signs that your body is getting too far out of balance can often be seen from the outside with a visual inspection. You may notice a shoulder that is lower than the other, usually the right.

Another possible sign is one foot is often turned out more than the other, usually the right.

You can check your ribcage to see if it is balanced by checking how many fingers you can fit between the very last rib and the top of your pelvis when lying down. Often you will notice not being able to fit as many fingers on the right side as the left.

You may have seen a chiropractor or another health professional who told you that you have one leg shorter than the other. This is not coming from the actual leg being short 95% of the time but due to having your body weight more often shifted onto one leg more often than the other side causing the pelvis to shift upwards. You can test this theory by placing each of your hands on top of each side of the pelvis. Stand in front of a mirror and slowly shift your weight onto one leg and notice that the hand on top of the hip that you shifted your weight onto slightly rises, then repeat on the other side.

Please note that there are many compensatory variations that can occur that do not match with the most typical pattern found above. If you suspect you have one of these dominant patterns this may be a big reason behind your pain or dysfunction and you should seek help from a postural restoration specialist. To find a provider near you click on this link. https://www.posturalrestoration.com/find-provider

Dr. Amy Brown, PT, DPT, PRC