Scoliosis, Facial Asymmetries, Shoulder/Neck pain/discomfort, and shoulder blade/hip mis-alignment - are all these problems one in the same ?

[JamesGatz]

There was a period of time several years ago - where my right shoulder blade became misaligned - this resulted in immense pain in my right shoulder and neck area and also pain in my left leg/hip which I found out later was actually related - One thing that is worth noting is that I am right-handed - which we will get into how this relates - it looked a bit like this image - with my right shoulder being higher than my left

First I think it is worth doing a quick experiment - while standing up try to pull your right shoulder back and flex your right delt and lat muscles - you will notice as soon as you start flexing these muscles on the right side of your body while bringing the right shoulder back - you will feel pressure on your left leg and left hip to come more forward - these seem to be opposing forces that are all tied into the spine

I was looking at images of scoliosis patients, patients with shoulder blade and hip misalignment and noticed they all tend to have the same common issues - I notice that even looking at the faces of these patients - without exception - their faces are always asymmetrical and more dominant TOWARDS the side of which the shoulder blade is higher - I will show you what I mean

Notice this child with a very severe case of scoliosis - his face is extremely asymmetrical with his left eye noticeably a lot higher than his right eye - notice for his spine - his left shoulder is ALSO a lot higher than his right - very interesting stuff ...

We can take a look at a few more examples -

This is my theory - if you disagree with me please feel free to input your thoughts - i am hoping we can have a valuable discussion on the topic :

If you are right-handed - using your right hand dominantly all the time (think using a computer mouse, using it to reach for stuff, using it to pick up things) all these actions encourage the right shoulder to come forward and the left one to not - I think if one is not careful this can result in mis-alignment over-time - it is not a certainty but I think many people walk with this issue to a slight extent

If you have any of these symptoms - pain/discomfort on one side of the shoulder/neck (usually on the side of your dominant hand), facial asymmetry on one side of the face (with you looking better on the side of the face with the dominant hand), shoulder-blade or hip mis-alignment (one of your shoulders will be slightly higher than the other - usually on the side of your dominant hand) - I would check to see if you have these other symptoms and if they are all present to an extent - I think this lends support to the theory


Luckily the condition is easily reversible in my experience - there is plenty of videos on YouTube to reverse this condition over-time I will attach some below that help - I would look up exercises that fix "shoulder blade realignment" usually this helps over-time with aligning the spine and hip with it

This is an ok video but the quality is not that good - if someone has better videos for exercises please link it here because I cannot find videos of that great quality - but the exercises are decent to try out :


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09mSftU9oXU&ab_channel=LiveSonima

 

[ChiroGuru]

As a Chiropractor I treat this kind of stuff on a daily basis (with a lot of success). For more information I would recommend you to watch videos of Nelson Vetanze, Erik Dalton and the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI). The symptoms you have written about are real but it is much more complicated than being right or left handed. You can treat a foot and see changes in the shoulder girdle. You can treat an occiput and see changes in the hips etc.. The biomechanical system is very complex.

 

[Herbie]

I had a scoliosis of the spine but was also reflected in my face probably due to nerve inhibition

 

[JamesGatz]

As a Chiropractor I treat this kind of stuff on a daily basis (with a lot of success). For more information I would recommend you to watch videos of Nelson Vetanze, Erik Dalton and the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI). The symptoms you have written about are real but it is much more complicated than being right or left handed. You can treat a foot and see changes in the shoulder girdle. You can treat an occiput and see changes in the hips etc.. The biomechanical system is very complex.

Interesting - yea I thought I might've been onto something because for myself and for some cases I was looking at the misalignment seems to be a lot more on the right side and I was thinking about how most people are right handed and always extending their right shoulder forward - I agree I think it is all heavily linked together I have been watching PRI on YouTube a little bit and I plan on getting into it a lot more

I had a scoliosis of the spine but was also reflected in my face probably due to nerve inhibition

Yes I noticed that when I fixed my shoulder to become more properly aligned - I felt my skull/jaws re-align with it - like if it was rotating along with the shoulder extremely interesting stuff

 

[Gustav3Y]

The problem with all scoliosis examples is that they are of severe spinal cases and most people think they personally are ok, because they do not look like "that".
When in fact many people have spine issues that are not looking so obvious like 99.9% of the examples in photos.

I know some people believe is the duty of the doctor to find the issues (or any issues of any sort), but we also have to be realistic, most of the doctors could care less and if the issue is not obvious then it does not get discovered by them.

Unfortunately it does bring on developmental asymmetries in the face and more severe issues that are not "visible"

 

[JamesGatz]

The problem with all scoliosis examples is that they are of severe spinal cases and most people think they personally are ok, because they do not look like "that".
When in fact many people have spine issues that are not looking so obvious like 99.9% of the examples in photos.

I know some people believe is the duty of the doctor to find the issues (or any issues of any sort), but we also have to be realistic, most of the doctors could care less and if the issue is not obvious then it does not get discovered by them.

Unfortunately it does bring on developmental asymmetries in the face and more severe issues that are not "visible"

Exactly - I 1000% agree - when my shoulder become misaligned - the pain got so bad it took a serious hit on my mental health - it looked like it was about to become dislocated but my parents told me I looked fine- when I looked in the mirror my shoulder was ever so slightly higher on the right side but the pain was wrecking my life all along my right shoulder and neck - I knew something was seriously wrong even if to other people it looked "fine" - they don't tend to notice things unless it is an absolute wreck

 

[Herbie]

Interesting - yea I thought I might've been onto something because for myself and for some cases I was looking at the misalignment seems to be a lot more on the right side and I was thinking about how most people are right handed and always extending their right shoulder forward - I agree I think it is all heavily linked together I have been watching PRI on YouTube a little bit and I plan on getting into it a lot more




Yes I noticed that when I fixed my shoulder to become more properly aligned - I felt my skull/jaws re-align with it - like if it was rotating along with the shoulder extremely interesting stuff

Yeah it’s like how the hands and feet can have those pressure points that reflect the organ health. You might find that the opposite hip to that shoulder will have some issue as well if you look into it. It’s how the the spine works. as above so below.

I think even driving can affect the posture with pushing in the clutch with one foot and hanging gears will create an imbalance.

I used to play hockey and holding the stick in the same way caused the scoliosis apparently

I believe if the liver isn’t healthy or starved for glycogen that the right side of the body will drop so the right shoulder and rib cage and create the scoliosis.

 

[Ben.]

As a Chiropractor I treat this kind of stuff on a daily basis (with a lot of success). For more information I would recommend you to watch videos of Nelson Vetanze, Erik Dalton and the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI). The symptoms you have written about are real but it is much more complicated than being right or left handed. You can treat a foot and see changes in the shoulder girdle. You can treat an occiput and see changes in the hips etc.. The biomechanical system is very complex.

This is so true. I am always amazed how when i do work around my hips or legs, how i can literally feel cracking and moving and pinching in my shoulder and jaw.
What drives me nuts however, is if i tell this to physiotheraphists,neurologists, orthodontists, orthopaedist and regular physicians, they send me home telling me that this cannot be ...
What makes me wonder tho is how things can get ****88 up so intensely to begin with. I mean we can compensate alot but at some point it can ruin the structurs which cause chronic stress, influences our sympathethic and parasympathetic nervous system and with it even our digestion. How can Fascia and connective tissue get so intertwined and sticky that it literlly compresses nerves resulting in chronic pain? Fascia research has been a real eye opener when it comes to its complexity.

Since you practice this daily, have you seen people resolve postural issues with internal help (food, supplements, medications)? I made the anecdotal experience that these two things are not independent from eachother.

I know some people believe is the duty of the doctor to find the issues (or any issues of any sort), but we also have to be realistic, most of the doctors could care less and if the issue is not obvious then it does not get discovered by them.

Unfortunately it does bring on developmental asymmetries in the face and more severe issues that are not "visible"

Depending on the doctor they should see and find them. I mean that is literally why they get paid ... Theres almost no other job where the "professional" can fail to do his job and still get paid and everyone considers this ok and normal while simultanously reciving a high social standing and reputation.

Perhaps they should go into a other profession where they do not ruin the time, money and health of the people that came to them for help.
I know i know i know, in this system it is hard to be a good doctor and make a living from it ... its still not okay.

 

[Gustav3Y]

Depending on the doctor they should see and find them. I mean that is literally why they get paid ... Theres almost no other job where the "professional" can fail to do his job and still get paid and everyone considers this ok and normal while simultanously reciving a high social standing and reputation.

Perhaps they should go into a other profession where they do not ruin the time, money and health of the people that came to them for help.
I know i know i know, in this system it is hard to be a good doctor and make a living from it ... its still not okay.

I guess when you have relatives doctors and can conclude the same, you know 100% is not an impression from a cynical point of view.

At least where I am, becoming a doctor is considered escaping poverty (at least in the past it was more relevant than now), you get a good stable salary, your job does not get obsolete or you don't need to re-specialize. Besides you get to be treated a step above the rest of the society.

Ironically here you can even see the nepotism when you see all doctors are brothers, married to each other or some of the other doctors are their children, especially in state hospitals and clinics becomes obvious.

 

[Peatness]

Great post. A lot of my spinal injuries started because of misalignment. Sadly, not correcting in time has led to more injuries. It’s my understanding that tennis players also train there non-dominate hand to avoid these problems. I suspect Dr Peat would probably say thyroid function has a lot to do with these conditions. Until I started Peating my right arm used to be at a weird angle from my body when standing.

 

[Elize]

Thanks so much for the valuable information

 

[Gustav3Y]

Exactly - I 1000% agree - when my shoulder become misaligned - the pain got so bad it took a serious hit on my mental health - it looked like it was about to become dislocated but my parents told me I looked fine- when I looked in the mirror my shoulder was ever so slightly higher on the right side but the pain was wrecking my life all along my right shoulder and neck - I knew something was seriously wrong even if to other people it looked "fine" - they don't tend to notice things unless it is an absolute wreck

It seems I had spinal for a very long time, but no one cared in the family when I was young because ironically some family members had it so bad, such severe spinal issues that made the others look "normal" when only having mild issues, "you are fine, don't complain, look how bad X has it"
So that is a different way of how these things can get downplayed and after you years looking back I can see how things compounded in a negative way.

 

[ChiroGuru]

This is so true. I am always amazed how when i do work around my hips or legs, how i can literally feel cracking and moving and pinching in my shoulder and jaw.
What drives me nuts however, is if i tell this to physiotheraphists,neurologists, orthodontists, orthopaedist and regular physicians, they send me home telling me that this cannot be ...
What makes me wonder tho is how things can get ****88 up so intensely to begin with. I mean we can compensate alot but at some point it can ruin the structurs which cause chronic stress, influences our sympathethic and parasympathetic nervous system and with it even our digestion. How can Fascia and connective tissue get so intertwined and sticky that it literlly compresses nerves resulting in chronic pain? Fascia research has been a real eye opener when it comes to its complexity.

Since you practice this daily, have you seen people resolve postural issues with internal help (food, supplements, medications)? I made the anecdotal experience that these two things are not independent from eachother.



Depending on the doctor they should see and find them. I mean that is literally why they get paid ... Theres almost no other job where the "professional" can fail to do his job and still get paid and everyone considers this ok and normal while simultanously reciving a high social standing and reputation.

Perhaps they should go into a other profession where they do not ruin the time, money and health of the people that came to them for help.
I know i know i know, in this system it is hard to be a good doctor and make a living from it ... its still not okay.

The problem is that most of the MDs etc. don't have the right "filter" to see these changes/connections. You have to check the videos of Nelson Vetanze, he has the right "filter" and the tools to change the musculoskeletal system within minutes. Most therapists compare the muscoloskeletal system with a machine, but the thing is that we are living biomechanical systems (a closed kinematic chain with reflexes etc.).

Your ideas that internal remedies could have an effect on the musculoskeletal system are appropriate. Stress, breathing patterns, inflammation (through diet, toxins etc.) do seem to have an effect on the joints, posture (esp. cervical spine and shoulder girdle). Besides that we have poor movement habits, lack of (right) movements, poor eyesight and many other factors.

 

[Puffyjacket]

My wife has been out of the workforce a couple of years because of a mild case of scoliosis and hip pain/a "crooked" body in general. A huge breakthrough for her was as mentioned earlier: PRI aka postural restoration institute also something similar is the Scroth method which is good for scoliosis.

Been doing a little bit of PRI myself and it makes sense 100%. Will try to fix some posture weaknesses i have with it soon.

 

[Jonk]

Interesting - yea I thought I might've been onto something because for myself and for some cases I was looking at the misalignment seems to be a lot more on the right side and I was thinking about how most people are right handed and always extending their right shoulder forward - I agree I think it is all heavily linked together I have been watching PRI on YouTube a little bit and I plan on getting into it a lot more




Yes I noticed that when I fixed my shoulder to become more properly aligned - I felt my skull/jaws re-align with it - like if it was rotating along with the shoulder extremely interesting stuff

Lately I've been on a binge of youtube videos from PRI instructor Neil Hallinan. I've been interested in biomechanics for a long time but boy o boy is this mind opening stuff. I'm curious if you got into it more and if so what the results have been?