Structural Imbalances Question

Hi Everyone ,

I just wanted to get some feedback on 'structural abnormalities.'

I understand that Sarno mentioned disc herniations, arthritis, ect. as normal aging of the spine. However, what is said about twisted pelvis, leg length discrepancies, single sided hip mobility issues, ect.

Doctors and PTs point to such issues as reasons for pain and nerve entrapments. I get stuck on their words, as in my personal case, my left hip and pelvis is hyper-mobile and my right hip is locked up, and per the PT that is irritating the nerve and creating lack of blood flow to the area and muscle tension.

I cling to the idea that disc herniations were once widely condemned as the sole reason for back pain, and doctors were wrong. Nichole Saches recovered from a structural diagnosis. In short, are we all imbalanced and screwed up in someway, but only those who have an aptitude for emotional repression feel the pain in those areas as the brain seeks them as 'convincing' areas to put pain? Or do such areas require PT manipulation?

Further, how does one know what is considered an alarming structural abnormality? The pelvic pain community is very mixed on what constitutes a structural issue. I never know what abnormality needs treatment and which one is TMS.

 

Chronic pain is not necessarily a result of emotional repression. It could be a result of a severe psychological or physical trauma that nervous system could not safely balance out. But studies after studies showed that there is no statistical correlation between chronic pain and normal wear and tear on the skeletal system.

Such areas may require PT manipulation if there is injury or trauma.

This is why you should consult with the TMS doctor, like Dr. Schubiner or other doctors listed on the TMS Wiki site. They are trained professionals who specialize in determining whether it is TMS or not.

 

Hi there: I’m a PT who works with TMS /PPD. I’ve seen many people with all sorts of structural discrepancies not have pain or get out of pain. The structure by itself is more likely to cause pain if there is severe damage to a joint let’s say. We have the science to show that. We also have science that shows mild to moderate changes does not correlate well with pain. One of the things that people fail to talk about is what causes the most stress on the body- muscle tension. What causes that? The brain. Tense guarded and protected muscle tissue pulls on bones and joints. This is what is more likely to cause pain. When you go back to the source ie brain and nervous system and work there, you can remove some of the subsequent muscle tension and the resultant pain.

 

Hi Jim,

Thank you so much for the reply. I've actually heard you interviewed a couple times on the Mind and Fitness Podcast. I really resonate with what you have said and appreciate you lending your expertise. Is it possible to structural imbalances to create muscle tension during sport (i.e. if one hip is twisted, the hamstring on said leg will be tighter)? I had a pelvic PT tell me that the structural imbalances were creating the tension.

 

Hi there it’s certainly possibleBut I don’t believe there’s good correlation between the structural differences and injury rates. When I used to run marathons I would see hundreds of people that looked like they had the worst running style ever And wonder how they could run 26 miles. The body is super adaptable and nobody is perfectly aligned everyone has differences from side to side but not everybod has pain. You’ll have to drop that belief just as Ive had to drop many learned beliefs around the body from my physical therapy training.

 

Thank you so much for your input Jim. You make complete sense in your explanation and certainly have the education to make it certifiable.