The Stretches/Self-evaluation

Patient Homework

Please be advised that when treating pain, treatments can cause soreness which may feel like an exacerbation of your symptoms for up to 48 hours or longer. 

How do you know if treatments are working? A “response” has occurred if:

1.     You experienced 25% (or more) reduction of pain within 4 treatments

2.     Pain reduction lasted longer than 24 hours (after the initial 48 hours of soreness).

If you had a response to treatments in the past but your pain has returned, it is likely that one of 4 things has happened:

1.     You have stopped doing The Stretches (PDF) two times per day

2.     The stretches are not being done correctly and are therefore not working

3.     You have had a new injury or trauma

4.     You have developed an Upslip.

The Stretches

These 4 stretches may look similar but ARE DIFFERENT than stretches you may have seen.  It is absolutely essential that these stretches, done twice a day, are done exactly the way they are shown. (See video below.)

The stretches have a specific purpose, which is to square the pelvis. If done more intensely than shows, or if modified at all, they will not perform that function.

If done correctly, you may feel as if nothing is happening at all, or very minimally.  This is because it takes very little to square the pelvis.  Also, it takes very little to un-square the pelvis. The problem is not that the pelvis gets un-squared, the problem is that it stays that way long enough for your body to compensate and for it to begin hurting in your low back (upper back, neck, head, jaw, shoulder, elbow wrist, hand, thigh, leg foot…) 

Correct your pelvis twice a day with these 4 stretches, twice a day, to keep your pelvis square and to prevent compensation that causes body pain.