Rarely is the site of pain the source of the problem. When it comes to back pain, try this simple analysis: stand comfortable in front of a mirror and assess if one hip or shoulder is higher or closer to the mirror than the other. Check if your knees are bow-legged or are turned in or out instead of pointing straight ahead. Lastly, check if you can see the back of one or both of your hands. If you answered yes to any of the above, your musculoskeletal system is likely out of alignment. This can lead to herniated or bulging discs, scoliosis, stenosis and more.

Imbalances such as the ones listed above create wear and tear on your body similar to how a car out of alignment will wear down its tires. If you replace the tires without correcting the alignment, you will ruin the new tires as well. The same is true for your body. The goal of surgery, medications, injections and bracing is to stop the pain, but it doesn’t correct the imbalances at the root of your pain.

Aligned by Design, Inc. is offering a free 20-minute consultation about postural therapy. They also host weekly postural alignment classes at Yoga for Living, in Cherry Hill. Check the calendar listings for more details.

Resource: Aligned by Design, Inc. Location: 571 Hopewell Rd., Marlton, NJ. For more information, call Deb Freeman at 856-295-6604.