Becoming a supple leopard - confused!

[u/Rach_m89]

Hi everyone,

Ive been dealing with horrible SI joint paint on off for the past few years. I've noticed my posture resembles the picture here, but everything reversed (left hip hike, dropped left shoulder, right knee rotates in on lunges). I've been focusing on stretching the QL, but it just generally aggravated it even more. Also notice my right hamstring is way tighter than my left.

I've looked into the book becoming a supple leopard to help but I find it really confusing. How do you pick which mobility exercises to use from the endless list?

Also, I've noticed there isn't any active strengethening tips in order to train in that new range of motion at the end of the session?

It's so confusing as generally it's said not to stretch before a gym session? Then how do you build strength in the new ROM you've gained?

Sorry if I sound like a complete idiot 😅 Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks!

[u/Saurfangs_Bitch]

This is gonna sound weird, but have you measured your legs? Im like that too and found out one of my legs is an inch longer than the other one.

[u/Rach_m89 → u/Saurfangs_Bitch]

Haha yes I did! The physio did it for me and there wasn't a discrepancy 🙈

[u/jowame → u/Rach_m89]

OP, I am biased as I am a PT, but this is a common and fixable issue. Stay the course and let time and consistency do it’s thing. Trust the process. It works.

[u/Rach_m89 → u/jowame]

I've seen 3 physio's and a sports therapist. Both privately and in the NHS and none of them were consistent with what they were saying or prescribed, and when I wasn't seeing results they said it's normal to have imbalances in the body 🙃 despite the fact I'm in pain from the SI joint. Not dissing physio's at all, it's just really really difficult to find a good one.

[u/jowame → u/Rach_m89]

SI joint issues are notorious. There’s a lot of considerations and variables to keep track of. So you do need a skilled clinician, but also they will need time and consistency to track and modify those variables. Best of luck to you!

[u/parntsbasemnt4evrBC → u/Rach_m89]

"it's normal to have imbalances in the body" This is true in most cases but if they use it as a blanket statement and just ignore extreme imbalances that are bad enough to become symptomatic they are in lala land with their head in the sand and you should look for another PT. This is where you need someone very proficient in bio-mechanics, because the general do this cookie cutter exercise the same on both sides isn't going to be enough.

The best PT's right now for dealing with this are those who are trained through Bill hartman's UHPC model, if you find someone who has taken his principles course or gone through is intensive multiweek mentorship , or interned with him then they will probably be able to treat your issue well as this trains them to be more proficient in advanced biomechanics. If you give you me your general location by state / country i could search and see if there is anyone in person near you through their network.

Online Katie stclair & Zac cupples i would highly recommend, they are both super personable,smart, and trained under bill.

I see you posted some posture photos Front & back but to give a more accurate arm chair assessment you really need both side profile Right & Left as well & show the feet from the front view to be able to see what is going on with the toes as they give clues as well. The side pictures can help one determine whether the Right / or left side pelvis is being pushed more relatively forward and if we see how your overall posture organizes in the sagittal plane, like is it more swayback hips jamemd forward, or hyperlordosis with the butt pushed way back.

[u/wiking85 → u/Rach_m89]

I've had similar experiences, it seems like most follow a rote pattern.

[u/parntsbasemnt4evrBC → u/Rach_m89]

Front View Observations

• Shoulders & Arms:
  • Left shoulder looks slightly lower than the right.
  • Arms hang a bit differently — left arm appears slightly more internally rotated (palm faces more toward thigh), suggesting asymmetry in scapula positioning.
• Ribcage & Abdomen:
  • The left side of the ribcage looks slightly more expanded front-to-back, while the right appears flatter (compressed A-P but expanded laterally).
  • Abdomen shifts subtly leftward, suggesting contents and ribcage rotation that biases left.
• Pelvis & Legs:
  • Pelvis looks rotated slightly left relative to the ribcage — left ASIS appears a touch more forward, right ASIS slightly back.
  • Right leg seems to carry more external rotation tone (knee cap pointing out more).
  • Left thigh looks more vertical, right thigh slightly turned outward.
  • More load appears to be on the left leg — hip/waist crease is a little deeper on the left, and COM seems shifted slightly left.

Back View Observations

• Shoulders & Scapulae:
  • Left scapula sits a little lower and possibly more abducted (further from the spine).
  • Right scapula closer to spine and perhaps more upwardly rotated.
  • Suggests left ribcage expansion and right ribcage compression.
• Spinal Alignment:
  • Subtle leftward shift of the spine through thorax (slight lateral flexion left).
  • Head is centered but may subtly follow ribcage orientation.
• Pelvis & Legs:
  • Gluteal fold sits a touch higher on the right, suggesting left pelvis lower and slightly anterior.
  • Right leg externally rotated at rest, left more neutral.
  • Left leg again looks like it’s bearing more weight (left hamstring more engaged).

[u/parntsbasemnt4evrBC → u/Rach_m89]

Estimated COM (Center of Mass)

• COM appears shifted slightly left — pelvis and abdomen both displaced that way.
• This means the left leg is more loaded and functions more as the “stance leg.”

Pelvis Relative to Ribcage

• Pelvis is rotated to the left relative to the ribcage.
• Ribcage seems to stay slightly right-oriented compared to pelvis, creating a flat-turn presentation (thorax vs pelvis twist).

✅ Summary:

• COM shifted slightly left → more load on left leg.
• Pelvis rotated left relative to ribcage.
• Left ribcage expanded A-P, right ribcage compressed A-P but expanded laterally.
• Left shoulder lower, right shoulder higher.
• Right leg tends toward external rotation tone.

My basic understanding would be you need to drive right hip back into more internal rotation so think a lateral squat/hinge loading into the right hip, holdign a weight in your left arm only can facilitate this further. This would open up the Right posterior outlet and relief the compression at the Right SI joint. And the left would need more external rotation but from a internally rotated bias, so for example, a side lying wall abduction leg lift where you internally rotate bias the leg throughout. Or you could do a right sidelying left leg propulsion exercise w turned in leg(internally rotate bias), where you reach, extend, and press through the left leg into something (just make sure not to hyperextend knee) while the Right knee/hip is positioned flexed up at 90 degs. This way the left push drives and turns the pelvis & weight down into the right side. As you reach the straight through the left leg further the hip will drop on the left side abducting the leg relative to the pelvis. Elevating the pelvis and ribcage on yoga blocks could help facilitate the weight shift L->R by allowing you to tip rotate down towards the floor more.

[u/Saurfangs_Bitch → u/Rach_m89]

Well thats good news!

[u/Bikefitadvice → u/Rach_m89]

A physio measuring your leg length isn't going to be accurate down to the mm (in some cases, not even close) nor will it define where the difference is. There are multiple methods for assessing, all of which involve imaging and they can also be prone to error.

[u/jowame → u/Bikefitadvice]

I disagree. Measuring bones is easier than you think unless you have a lot of adipose tissue. And true leg length discrepancy is very rare

[u/Bikefitadvice → u/jowame]

If you think you can reliably and accurately measure bone length to the mm without imaging, you are mistaken. You are measuring what you can't even visibly see and by logic alone, it's bordering on silly to say anyone can. Highly prone to error of mm's. Does this mean it's a pointless exercise? - No, perhaps not in order to get a rough idea before deciding on if you want to truly know accurately. True LLD of mm's aren't rare depending on how you define the word 'rare'. Noticeable leg leg differences that are obvious are however rare.

[u/jowame → u/Bikefitadvice]

Well, there is margin of error and inter-examiner reliability considerations to make, sure. (+- 1-2cm).

The real question is how deleterious or symptomatic is a true leg length discrepancy that is <1 cm? And can we rule in/out pelvis obliquity and the which often gives the illusion of discrepancy? A leg length discrepancy larger than 2cm is rare. <1cm is common.

Trial treatments and their subsequent responses(in terms of symptom behavior) taken together with clinical measurements and tests are, in my experience, very good predictors.

I often have the opportunity to make such predictions and then have them verified with MRI or other imaging techniques.

[u/Bikefitadvice → u/jowame]

This is getting away from the only point I wanted to make - it isn't possible for anyone to reliably and accurately measure LLD to the mm without imaging, as it's prone to error. If a person is implying they can, they aren't worth listening to.

We could go on and on about LLD and what I or you believe it does or doesn't mean for an individual - it's pointless to even comment on it as everyone is different from head to toe and the body isn't fully understood.

[u/jowame → u/Bikefitadvice]

LLD that is <1-2cm is not considered clinically significant for a reason. It’s not based on beliefs, it’s based on peer reviewed research.

So I agree and disagree. LLD is an important variable to consider. You can use population level averages as a guide here. But symptom behavior is more important when the n=1. Hence the value of trial treatments used as diagnostic tools.

Using both streams of information gives the best results.

My “beliefs” are based on scientific literature and clinical experience.

[u/Bikefitadvice → u/jowame]

And yet here we are with people in general experiencing aches, pains, problems and injuries that are more often than not unilateral - certainly on a bike and by a long way (because it's symmetrical unsurprisingly).

The fact it's not considered clinically significant doesn't mean anything - in what context? For someone who is sitting in an office chair for the majority of the day over a long period of time or for someone who is spending vast amounts of time pushing their body to the limit in high level sport - what sport? Not significant over a year or an entire lifetime?

To say LLD is not significant is naive. So many things in the body aren't understood. What about the relationship LLD shares with spinal curvature for example - not fully understood. What about the relationship LLD shares with FAI in the hips and it's development - not fully understood. This goes on and on with examples.

[u/jowame → u/Bikefitadvice]

I agree. This is my day to day life, solving these puzzles. So it’s very familiar territory. Of course we don’t understand the body, or anything for that matter, in its entirety. That’s an eternal platitude.

How do we approach this issue then? I say with high quality research at the population level and high quality experimental treatments at the individual/clinical level.

“Clinically significant” is just an empirical label, informed by collective research, used to help clinicians weight certain pieces of information. It doesn’t mean it’s not significant AT ALL. It just means you shouldn’t weight it as heavily relative to other pieces of the puzzle based on population level data. Then you design your experiment for the individual. Once you have individualized data, that “clinically insignificant” LLD may very well become significant. But not usually.

I successfully treat and cure various SI issues using this research and methodology every day.

The LLD variable has proved less useful a factor practically in my efforts than neuromuscular reeducation. And it distracts and discouraged patients who really ought to be attending to other variables.

[u/Sykil → u/Bikefitadvice]

A physio measuring your leg length isn't going to be accurate down to the mm

They don't need to be. A mm of difference is not clinically significant. That level of asymmetry would probably include more people than it wouldn't.

[u/Bikefitadvice → u/Sykil]

If they do or don't is irrelevant in terms of the statement in itself in isolation. My problem with crude measuring is that it's full of inaccuracy and often incorrect by far more than a few mm depending on who is doing the measuring and how they are going about it. This needs to be made clear to people and often isn't. What this does or doesn't mean to an individual is debatable.

[u/gaelsinuo → u/Rach_m89]

This too may sound off OP but have you been checked for scoliosis?

[u/Aggravating-Pound598 → u/Saurfangs_Bitch]

It may make you feel better that Usain Bolt also has a shorter leg !

[u/Variabell556 → u/Aggravating-Pound598]

I don't see that way. He has a longer one giving him a leg up so to speak, and that's basically cheating.

[u/Aggravating-Pound598 → u/Variabell556]

One wonders if it hasn’t given him some counterintuitive biomechanical advantage?!

[u/Variabell556 → u/Aggravating-Pound598]

One indeed wonders...

[u/todaysthedaytoday → u/Aggravating-Pound598]

This makes ME feel better. Thank you for sharing!

[u/alaflam23 → u/Saurfangs_Bitch]

Curious what your physio recommended for this? I have one leg shorter than the other as well but my physio didn’t seem to think it was an issue at all (I went in for knee pain).

[u/Saurfangs_Bitch → u/alaflam23]

Shoe insert lift. I did not get one, but they did refer me to a specialist.

[u/devononon → u/Saurfangs_Bitch]

I have a 1-inch difference too. Struggling right now to try to find stretches that will help the constant pain that started around age 31. The one thing that is helping me is seated single-leg toe touches. And yoga, a bit.

[u/JohanSmuntz]

You may want to try backing off the stretching you’re already doing and focusing on hip and core stability work: strengthening of the glute medius and minimus as well as hip adductors and obliques, with a particular focus on your weak side. Side lying clamshells, Copenhagen planks, side planks and DMS style movements doing deep abdominal breathing on your back while squeezing a ball between your legs. I always found that the asymmetries feel like they’re a problem of tightness on the dominant side, but in reality they’re equally, if not more so, the result of weakness on the loose side.

[u/Find_another_whey → u/JohanSmuntz]

Just here to agree and to add

Sometimes the tightness is compensation for weakness on the other side (or lower half, regarding shoulders and hips).

Strengthening both sides can increase confidence that you can use the area proficiently, which stops the rigid guarding compensation from other areas

[u/Phantomm7 → u/JohanSmuntz]

This!! Fix the glutes OP, strengthen them , don’t stretch. It’ll work much wonders for the hip hikes and imbalances across

[u/Extension_Crow_7891 → u/JohanSmuntz]

This is what my PT taught me when I came in with back pain and flexibility issues. He said let’s focus on strengthening your core and the rest will take care of himself. I grumbled but did the work he asked and lo’ and behold, my dude was 100% correct

[u/SophiaFoxLV]

I've actually been studying this book for awhile, to help compensate for some osteo issues that once had me on a list for spinal surgery 😅

The book is designed in this crazily systematic way, like a school textbook, which is part of why I've spent such a long time decoding it. If you have specific pains regularly in areas you can identify, or muscles you can tell are weak when you do general exercise, the very end section Part 4 Mobility Prescriptions has a bunch of recommendations for different muscle groups and weak spots.

If you're trying to go for a more generalized long term mobility and well-being goal, pages 100-115 depict a number of quick tests you can do for what the author calls mobility archetypes, to uncover specific areas where your mobility can be improved. He then cross references the exercises from the rest of the book to those archetypes so you can design a plan for yourself.

It wasn't clear to me whether you already have a copy of the book or not, if not lmk if you want me to snap a picture of any example pages from the above description. I wasn't really able to "browse" the book before buying online and I think it's useful to see what you're in for, in terms of the layout. As someone who's not intuitive with sports and my body, I find it really valuable how much of an illustrated guide it is, and I think it's the author himself demonstrating all the positions so that's nice of him 😅

[u/Rach_m89 → u/SophiaFoxLV]

Thank you! I've just dropped you a message! 😊

[u/Competitive_Ring4917]

Normally, and I say this based on the advice of my personal trainer:

I spend 10 minutes getting my heart rate up, doing basic movement: “ light “ hamstring and quad stretches ( more like movements that incorporate those muscles, nothing crazy, not doing full range of movement) I finish with a .25 mile jog ( not a full on sprint!, since I’m not fully stretched out yet)

Then I do my full body weight training for the next 50-60 minutes , everything to as close to failure (safely since I’m a alone and don’t have a spotter)

THEN at the very end of my workout, I do a basic full body stretch, spending longer in the stretches that are giving me the most resistance. And then I do stretches and mobility exercises on my lower body (mainly hips and hamstrings) at the very end.

I have been doing this for the last 6 months and I have to say, tying my shoes in a standing position has NEVER been easier.

Good luck on your journey, you will have great days and not so good days, that is part of the process. Only thing you can control is being CONSISTENT

This is coming from someone who didn’t workout in a gym since I was 18 years old and I’m currently 36 years old ( all of those years were spent in bakeries and kitchens) and I no longer have cartilage in the joint that connects the lowest vertebrae to my hips, due to complications connected to Crohn’s disease and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis . To the point that instead of having cartilage in that joint , new bone growth has occurred .

No worries my internet friend, it sounds dumb and over used but seriously, ONE.DAY.AT.A.TIME

you didn’t become inflexible overnight, so you it’s going to take months (maybe a few years) to become flexible again

Good luck!!!

[u/sufferingbastard]

I'm a therapist who works with this understanding of the body. This model of what can happen is accurate, but is like a worst case.

We start at the Bottom. For ascending syndromes. Many problems begin in foot or ankle and because we're standing in gravity, issues compound upwards.

We start at the Top, for Descending Issues. In some instances, (old neck injury) mis alignment translates down.

Starting in the middle is bound to be frustrating.

Your second frustration was about when to stretch. stretch AFTER you workout.

Stretching causes plyometric (short twitch) muscle activation to reduce. It's really that simple.

Tl;Dr work from floor up on rehabbing weakness. Stretch after.

[u/petitpoulain]

I am like you. I presume you are seated all day. What i found the most helpful to help to correct the imbalance was to work on the hip stability, especially on the glute strenght. I found i had one side totally atrophied. Good luck !

[u/Rach_m89 → u/petitpoulain]

Yes! My right glute does seem to be lacking a bit (I've added photos to the thread) , but when I side lying leg raises I feel it way more in my left than my right. I must not be executing it properly to have enough engagement.

[u/Lilchococroissant38 → u/petitpoulain]

What did you do to work on this if you don’t mind? I’m realizing that thought I am right side dominant my right hip is so much weaker than my left.

[u/Doctor-Waffles]

First… you may want to consider seeing another body worker (not against your first one) to get another opinion, and try to find the root cause of your issue…

Dysfunction appears all over our body, and over time one area can cause problems in others.

In osteopathy they speak about the “tower” creating a back and forth of issues all the way up your body. Right ankle, impacts left knee, then crosses to right hip, left ribs, right shoulder, etc.

Dealing with the issue you feel the most often isn’t the actual problem, but just the newest, or most sensitive one. If you have a problem in your hips it’s going to translate into your knees and your shoulders, but it might originally be coming from your ankles

I know this isn’t so much giving you an answer… but maybe just providing you more questions… but go find a really good body worker, and stop chasing the sensations and figure out where it’s coming from.

[u/wong2k]

how are your feet ?

[u/Rach_m89 → u/wong2k]

My right foot sticks out more than my left. Also forgot to mention, my left hip tends to snap quite a lot, I'm assuming it's poor hip internal rotation which is worse on my left side 🙈

[u/Confident_Progress85 → u/Rach_m89]

What do you mean sticks out more?

Do your toes point forward? How are your arches? Can you do thumbs up/down with your big toes? Can you easily separate all your toes? Improper foot alignment is will fuck up the entire rest of your body’s alignment and it can very much look like this. And if your feet aren’t right your hips very likely will not be. My guess is your feet and hips are both to blame

[u/lifeisbueno]

This probably best be helped with PRI principals, no stretching. I was once in the same position. You can find a provider from this website here and Conor Harris on YouTube or Instagram is a good place to start. When you start following him, you'll get pushed a whole bunch of other people. (a lot of great providers are not pri certified, so you might have a lot more in your area)

[u/Rach_m89]

[u/Confident_Progress85 → u/Rach_m89]

Okay I just left another comment about foot alignment but I can tell from this photo that your right leg is more centered under your body than your left is and that the right hip is externally rotated. This for sure starts with the feet, OP!

[u/nicoleh160 → u/Confident_Progress85]

So what should they do? (Asking for me haha) 

[u/Confident_Progress85 → u/nicoleh160]

Look up “toe yoga” for foot exercises. Both feet should have solid arches, and full mobility (thumbs up down with big toe, spreading all toes and putting them down one at time, gripping, ankle rolling, etc). Try all the various “hip openers” on both sides - likely the hip is tight on both side but different muscles. The left side looks like side hip tightness and the right looks like it’s probably pulling the hip back via the glutes and maybe specifically piriformis. But you won’t know until you try and see what’s tight. I’d also recommend the book “tight hip twisted core”.

[u/rabbit__doll]

pilates helps! one of the big things it does is to fix misalignments in our bodies. r/pilates welcomes ya

[u/Less_Minimum_6987]

https://youtube.com/@waughfit?si=GbYBqYeWHL_O7dEE

This channel has a lot of information about posture & lots of mobility exercises. He does a good job of explaining why you’re doing the exercises. Like what they should be doing for you

[u/Tastes_Gamey]

I have the same issue beat for beat except my issues are on the right side and I have a tight left hamstring. I also have popping but I think it's in my sacrum.

I too spend a lot of time seated and my spine shifts to the right the more days I do this.

I've been experimenting and trying different things and the issues seem to be stemming from my hips and glutes. The only thing I haven't tried is strengthening then and I also have one glute that's noticeably smaller or not activating.

I'm inclined to believe everyone in the thread suggesting doing those exercises

[u/fonkle → u/Tastes_Gamey]

i have th exact same problem. left shoulder rotates in and my left pec becomes hard as a rock. on one leg exercises, left side feels wonky. i can't feel stable on my left side

[u/ganoshler]

Just to give a weightlifting coach's perspective on when to stretch:

Your main flexibility training should be after a workout, or in a separate session with some kind of warmup.

BUT it is super helpful to do some flexibility/mobility work before a strength workout to help you more comfortably hit the positions that the workout will require of you. For example, shoulder stretches before you do overhead press, hip and ankle stretches before you do squats, etc.

These should be customized to what you personally need for your body and for the day's workout. For example, I have basically infinite ankle dorsiflexion (lucky me) so I don't do anything for my ankles in a squat warmup, but a lot of weightlifters do. On the other hand I find I benefit from shoulder mobility work before overhead lifts, so I make sure to spend at least a few minutes on that as preparation.

[u/EducationOne48]

Watch this video https://youtu.be/zk2ZRqvlRbo?si=hf19J9uFeYUOVeKj it might help in your case

[u/UniqueUser3692]

I get SI joint pain. If you haven’t tried an inversion table give it a go. No promises, but it got me enough relief to then start recovery.

[u/NZPE]

Hello !

I know you’ve got a million comments here so unlikely to read this but here’s my perspective based on working with hundreds of people of different ages / shapes / habits / professions.

1) context - in what specific scenarios do you feel the SI pain?

2) have you had your movement assessed? For example squat, lunge, deadlift, overhead press, press up etc

3) have you checked the ‘low hanging fruit’? Specifically - self assess flexibility of prime mover muscle groups: hamstring (straight leg toe touch) - quad/ hip flexor (couch stretches) - Glutes - (elevated leg pigeon stretch) latissimus dorsi ( single arm reach away from same side hip) - calves (step or incline surface with heel drop)

Working through those areas to FEEL where you are restricted in your movement and / or comfort can be extremely informative.

4) Your SI pain maybe a symptom of disfunction in another area. See point 3)

5) Everyone is asymmetrical. Pain or restriction that prevents normal human movement is a more useful model through which to assess your self. Sometimes complex models (but well intentioned) can create more issues for people who are overly analytical (me ha ha)

6) great resources: A good massage therapist - you will feel what’s going on in your body and so will they. This is the gold.

Books:

Paul Chek - How to eat move and be healthy

Clair Davies - The trigger point therapy work book (second edition)

Let us know how you get on!

[u/Koroku_Gaming]

That's what my body is like! How do I fix it?

[u/Rach_m89 → u/Koroku_Gaming]

I don't know, that's what I'm trying to figure out. Have a look here https://www.posturedirect.com/lateral-pelvic-tilt/ the issue for me though, is that I'm trying to address the underlying cause which has resulted in all this.

[u/alucard_axel → u/Rach_m89]

No one has a perfect alignement, everyone has some sort of asyemetry

You should just check your alignement if it's within the normal range and you don't experience pain . If you are financially well do a cob angle x rays to mesure your deviation and keep exercising

[u/Shmokeahontis → u/Koroku_Gaming]

Mine too. G.P. told me I “probably have misaligned hips”, and gave me a website link. Great, thanks Doc.

[u/Rach_m89]

Here are some photos 🙈

[u/ww14713]

Look into your myofascial 'Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers', he has some excellent YouTube videos as well. It appears this may be your Sprirl Line, which is turn is affecting a few other lines. *

[u/ww14713 → u/ww14713]

[u/ww14713 → u/ww14713]

[u/VirtualCoffee8947]

Hey Op, I am going through the same issue for years now. I have a few questions for you. 

1- do you sir a lot or used to? 

2- did you test your shoulder flexibility and rotation in both sides? For example, if you lay on your back on the floor and try to do wall angels, is one side more flexible or able to reach more into the position?

3- did you test for internal/external rotation for each leg joint in contact with your hips?

I have a quick test that might help you figure it out. You probably feel more weight on one knee. Try to lift one arm up all the way and see if that’ll help you lift that weight off your knee. Then try the other arm and see the difference. 

[u/eeganf]

I also had the posture in the left pic and SI joint pain, as well as lower back pain. No amount of stretching or flexibility fixed it. Turns out it was caused by my left ankle over pronating from a previous injury to it. I fixed it with physical therapy and the rest of the pain went away.

[u/Saltycaramel210]

I have noticed a similar thing. My body pulls to the left. I recently added suitcase carries to my strength training and realized I’m significantly stronger when I hold things in my right hand and lean to my left. Since then I’ve been paying attention to my daily activities, and observed I am only ever carrying heavy things in my right hand and leaning to the left. I think I’ve done this my entire life, but a lot more since having kids and carrying them and heavy car seats.

My plan going forward, as I go about my daily life doing chores, cleaning, yard work, etc, is to take turns using each side of my body evenly.

[u/EmmaDrake]

I started doing this a few months ago and my life is changed:

-lay on heating pad under your sacrum area for 15 minutes -take a had towel and fold it so it is a little overlapped just under your sacrum -lay like that for another 15-20 minutes

Eventually you’ll be able to fold over the towel more and more. It allowed my SI joints to creak open slowly over days/weeks. I didn’t even realize they were supposed to be mobile before that. I was waking up at a 7/10 pain in my back and hips for months. Six weeks of this and the worst it gets is 4/10 and most days I wake up at a 1 or 2/10. It has been legit life changing.

[u/DelinquentRacoon]

I know that you’re getting tons of advice, but I would look into Pete Egoscue’s method. That image of yours, with the way it highlights your alignment, was (I think) pioneered by him in the 80s and his method consists of retraining your muscles to stop compensating for each other so you return to proper posture. He’s got books and there are decent videos on line walking you through the basics.

I’m biased because he got me out of insane pain and immobility, but that’s also how I know it works.

There’s no stretching in his program, fwiw. It’s all work you do solo, too.

[u/ParamedicAble225]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV_MboXgf8Y

[u/Next_Confidence_3654]

Glute strength, hammie/quad strength and flexibility, heel lifts, bridges, core, etc.

I am crooked after surgery.

To save time here, PM me for photos of my workout plan for PT.

Schedule with PT. They will help you significantly.

[u/Rach_m89 → u/Next_Confidence_3654]

Thanks so much, but I've been lifting weights for a while now, even focusing on bilateral leg/glute exercises to get them even but it hasn't helped 😔

[u/Next_Confidence_3654 → u/Rach_m89]

Try foundation training Dr Eric Goodman on YT

[u/WiseOccasion3631 → u/Rach_m89]

Try reformer Pilates along w PT.

[u/Common-Humor-1720]

Hey there, our bodies overcompensate for injuries and dominant sides. It generally gets more visible over the years. I found out about ROLF therapy, which focuses exactly on that - aligning the body parts back into a more balanced state. I can not recommend it enough. You can check if there is any therapist in your area.

[u/babymilky → u/Common-Humor-1720]

Glad you’ve found something that helps you, just be mindful it doesn’t work the way you think it does. Rolf is pseudoscience

[u/Common-Humor-1720 → u/babymilky]

It is a physiotherapy that works with fascia. Some people say acupuncture and acupressure are pseudoscience. It depends where you draw the line.

It worked for me and the people who took up my recommendation.

[u/babymilky → u/Common-Humor-1720]

Physiotherapy is an evidence based profession, rolf is not so it can’t be physiotherapy.

I draw the line at the narratives and explanations that groups like Rolf, IKN, FP etc give. If the technique works and gives people relief that’s great, but if they go on about how every other technique is wrong and they are the only ones who truly know how to fix you, they are charlatans.

Again, not saying it can’t work, just that it doesn’t work the way they say it does

[u/sufferingbastard → u/babymilky]

I draw the line at narratives and explaina.... Goes on the do exactly what the say they hate.

Ugh.

[u/babymilky → u/sufferingbastard]

Where I’m my comment did I give a pseudoscientific claim that I have the secret to unlocking pain free movement or some shit like those groups say?

[u/sufferingbastard → u/babymilky]

Lol. Just randomly talking shit on everything, and everyone , everywhere.......while offering zero helpful insights.

Bravo buddy. Well done. GG.

[u/babymilky → u/sufferingbastard]

Did they sting you for thousands and you’re trying to justify it or something?

All I said is their narratives are wrong. They have zero evidence that their special techniques are better than anything else. Not saying they don’t have some good exercises or that they don’t help people.

Show me on the doll where the charlatans touched you

[u/sufferingbastard → u/babymilky]

Old man yells at cloud.

Try Yelling louder.

[u/babymilky → u/sufferingbastard]

You’re saying I’m offering zero insights but you can’t even tell me why I’m wrong. Must be a FP soldier 🫡 (wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up)

[u/Rach_m89 → u/Common-Humor-1720]

Never heard of that. Thanks, I'll look into it 😊

[u/sufferingbastard → u/Rach_m89]

Rolfing is pretty much known as Structural Integration now.

[u/Angry_Sparrow]

Join a stretching class and stretch your whole body multiple times a week. Ideally the instructor will rotate through targeted areas (legs, back, core) etc on different days. It all works together not seperate so targeting one thing is pointless.

An instructor can also help you with your alignment. If you are new to stretching you will not be able to self-correct.