best treatment for pelvic tilt ?

[christianman]

could anyone advise please ? I have been told i have a lateral pelvic tilt, my right leg is longer, and hip and shoulder higher. I suffered lower back problems as a teenager, which aren't so bad now but i've always wanted to see if it was possible to correct. Any suggestions as to the best type of therapy please ?

 

[Poop]

thanks steve, will check it out.

 

[Spindrift]

I would say an osteopath, but then I am biased.

There are two main types of long leg. A functional one, which may be correctable & a structural (actual) long lower extremity, that is best helped by helping the rest of the body to compensate & work around it.

If there's a big difference in leg length or if for some reason your body is unable to compensate for it, then the osteopath or whoever you see may consider the use of a heel lift.

The first port of call IMHO is to check that the lower lumbar vertebral joints and the sacroiliac (SI) joints of the pelvis are mobile.

Having worked within a physio dept for 5 years, they seem to fair less well with SI joint problems & tended to refer them to myself. Although, I would think a chiropractor should also be able to deal with it.

Andrew.

 

[chris m]

Thankyou for the advice, is this treatment available on the nhs through physio referals ? or does it vary from area to area ?

 

[Istorchard]

There is very limited availability of referral to an osteopath on the NHS and you would need to ask your GP if it is available in your area.

Also, many GP's still regard osteopathy as qwackery - usually the ones that don't bother to check their own guidelines. Sorry but they are out there, still handing out pain killers, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories on the basis that they still believe, despite the research, that low back problems fix themselves. [sm=banghead.gif]

You can self refer by finding a local osteopath in Yellow Pages and phoning them. Most will charge a concessionary rate if you have financial difficulty, but you will have to ask.

Good luck - Andrew.

 

[ButJanaeia]

my opinion is that if your back, leg and shoulder don't hurt and don't give you any other problems anymore (limited range of movement, pins and needles) - just leave them how they are.

Once you start fiddling with them by using manipulative treatments you might end up in a worse condition.

If you posture bothers you try some yoga or pilates.

Myself I have a left shoulder 5 cm higher than my right one - but actually it doesn't give me as much problems as my righ one when overworked.

Majority of us do have misalligned bodies and don't have any discomfort because of it and there are many those with perfectly balanced skeleton which do experience chronic pain.

 

[Im back for my TC title]

Hello Bearwoman,

There are a lot of "best type" therapies you could try... To the therapies that have already been suggested, I would ad Bowen Technique and Shiatsu.

Artemis

 

[incoahreint chik ozzy]

I'm a Pilates teacher, and Franklin Method teacher (movement therapy based on imagery) so I would say do Pilates! It will make you aware of how you are holding yourself posturally (do you habitually put your weight on one leg for instance?), improve your core stability, and a good teacher will explain exactly how you are holding your pelvis, and which exercises you can do to correct it.
Good luck, Sharon.
ps - make sure if you go down this route that your teacher takes no more than 12 in a class. You need more than a bit of attention.

 

[cinzxiaxaq]

I forgot to mention Alexander Technique as a therapy for posture awareness...

Artemis

 

[Ya-Kno-Im-Riight...]

I went to see an osteopath myself, not for the tilt, I didn't realise that was in part ot blame for my back trouble until I got there. Started regular yoga classes on the osteos advice and I didn't have any trouble all the time I attended those.

Spinal touch is meant to be very powerful and I'd agree with the guys on all the other advice they've given. Its a case of trial and error and going with what feels right for you.

 

[johnsvolt]

londonmassage

Osteopaths study long & hard to gain their degree, so it's unlikely that they would manipulate anything that didn't need releasing. Occasionally some do experience a brief flare up of symptoms from a joint (e.g. a vertebral facet joint) that has not moved for a long time. As such the system will have accepted this immobility as 'normal', which doesn't mean it's healthy, as a joint that is immobile will degenerate a lot quicker than a mobile one.

I have treated more than one yoga teacher with this kind of problem and what has happened is that the mobile joints just become more mobile to compensate and work around the stiff ones. That said it is an excellent system that I often recommend and it's certainly excellent to regain general mobility, with all it's health benefits and especially good at maintaining mobility once achieved. But as I say, some specific areas may need a bit of extra help.

londonmassage

I couldn't agree with you more and few if any are perfectly symmetrical and of course our viscera certainly aren't. But we can make the best of what we've got. Re. Those that do suffer a lot of pain, well they're not symmetrical either or straight for that matter, but do take your point that they may look in better shape than others with no pain.

I would say that it's likely that they have a more of a general system problem, rather than a simple muskulo-skeletal problem, but if we're to be holistic then we'd consider that also. So if we have nothing in our tool bag for that then we'd refer according to our judgement & beliefs.[sm=scratchchin.gif]

With regard to your own shoulder, then I suspect it likely that your neck could use some osteopathic treatment. As the the scapulae are suspended on a bed of muscle other that the strut support from the clavicles, then unless you have a short collar bone (i.e. old fracture), then there's probably some excess muscle tone holding it higher. Most likely cause of this is a subclinical neck problem that may have no symptoms at present. Even if you disregard this, then I'm sure one as intelligent as yourself might consider that this would be putting extra tension on the one side of your neck. The opposite side, would also need to tighten to counter balance this and in time something's got to give. []

You may be lucky and turn out to be one of those crooked symptom free individuals, who knows?

Andrew.

 

[kwepnuizicriwteud]

that's why I mentioned 'if there is no limited range of movement' ie fully mobile joints and good muscle tone.

[quate] I would say that it's likely that they have a more of a general system problem, rather than a simple muskulo-skeletal problem[/quote]

it's more about our pain sensitivity (how our brain perceves our body) - that's why some clients can't tolarate even modarate pressure.

As to my own shoulder - it's elevated for some 25 years now and because it doens't cause me any problems is not on my priority list. It's not injury related - rather posture (carrying heavy school bags on that shoulder and later a telephone) and I suspect emotional trauma from childhood even more so.

Osteopathy will temporarily help (as Thai massage from an experienced therapist does) - but untill I sort out my past it would come back.