Injury Prevention Solutions

Changing posture and skeletal alignment – it’s not as easy as you think…

Can we change our posture?  Can we improve ‘skeletal alignment’?  To answer the first question…yes, but it takes a lot longer, and a lot more work than you (and many other’s think).  Regarding the second…I really dislike the term ‘skeletal alignment.’  Your skeleton is aligned in the precise position(s) governed by genetic predisposition and millions of years of natural selection.  When things come “out of alignment”….proceed to the nearest hospital as you have likely dislocated a joint!

Most important to note is the fact that exercise alone will NOT cause permanent changes to a persons posture. Current literature clearly demonstrates that muscle length remains highly unaltered unless said alterations are governed by nervous system input.  This is otherwise known as neural drive.

There is no such thing as good or bad form, or posture. There is no right or wrong “exercise”. What does “functional exercise” even mean, and what is this “core” thing everyone keeps talking about whilst planking or crunching?!
The only bad posture is the posture we spend too much time.


As human beings, our movement capacity should be vast. If we only stay in a small handfuls of postures we aren’t fulfilling our movement potential, and we’re creating more dysfunctions and weaknesses because of it. Your body will devolve rapidly
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If you always hammer down the same posture, even if it’s “good posture”, you’re only creating strength and neurological control in that specific posture. So when your body slips out of that particular shape, weakness and injury is the outcome – and that’s not a good sign
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There is no such thing as a functional exercise, just functional (or non-functional) joints that can fulfill movement potential. If your joints can’t successfully control a range of motion that is necessary in your daily life, you should probably make that a priority for your training practice
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So in conclusion, is it that you need to practice good form (and never lose it, ever)…or, practice multiple forms.
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How do we practice in those ways? Well, it’s going to take a philosophical change first and foremost. Understanding our biology and neurology is important
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If you do not know how to train in such ways, find those who do.

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