Dynamic Alignment Therapy
Advanced Wisdom, Modern Wellness: A New Approach to Yoga
Creative Therapeutics had the pleasure of working with and learning from Roger Eischens. Roger was a Yoga Therapist with a strong background in movement analysis. He held a master's degree in Kinesiology and Human Development. He taught Scientific Analysis of Movement and Kinesiology Test and Movement at the university level. Roger had been teaching yoga since 1968 and studied under B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the most well-known names in Yoga. Roger's experience include working with a wide variety of populations including athletes and clients with acute and chronic pain. Although Roger has passed away, his work continues here at the clinic.
Roger used yogic principles of strength and balance and combines them with his strong background in Kinesiology and movement analysis. From this combination grew very effective techniques to help the participant consciously and physically alter his/her posture. By individually activating one's own muscle you can ultimately decrease pain and increase self-awareness.
The technique is based on the theory that we develop postural patterns throughout our lives. The most typical of these patterns are rounded, forward shoulders and/or backward shins (knees snapped back into place when we stand). As these patterns develop certain muscles work harder than others. The muscles that are underused, such as the muscles between the shoulder blades, become weak and can not function to correctly support the joints when performing daily tasks such as lifting and walking. When you overuse certain muscles in a particular muscle group (rather than using all of the muscles meant to perform a particular task) the overused muscles become prone to injuries.
This is why body awareness is vital when performing yoga and other athletic activities. The eventual outcome of improper body mechanics is generally injury. These learned postural patterns become so ingrained in our muscular memory that when we try to correct our posture, such as trying to "sit up straight" while at the computer, we actually continue to overuse the same muscles.
This is where the theory of dynamic alignment comes into play. By tadasana (or "mountain pose") one can actually learn how to use the muscles that have forgotten how to work properly. The equipment needed to perform these techniques are a few Styrofoam blocks and a yoga strap. A trained therapist uses simple observation skills, problem solving and trial and error in collaboration with the client to discover how best to retrain the musculature involved. These activities can be as simple as standing with a block between your feet and a strap around your thighs, and can be performed independently once you have been correctly instructed. The blocks and strap serve as physical cues to help the participants know what muscles to activate. It is recommended that the activities be performed three times a day, three to four times in a row with up to a 30-second hold. Keep in mind that postural patterns have taken years to learn, so it will take time and consistency to unlearn the damaging habits and relearn healthier ones. By becoming more self-aware of your posture and habits it is possible to change, grow, and take control of your health and ultimately pain and injury.
