Does an MRI, X-ray or CT scan really explain why you’re in pain? Medical imaging can reveal arthritis, degeneration, disc changes, injuries and other structural findings—but what appears on a scan isn’t always the cause of your symptoms. Discover what imaging can and can’t tell us about pain, movement and recovery.

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My Scan Explains Everything

Why Your Diagnosis Doesn’t Always Predict Your Future

 Have you ever had a scan result and heard yourself thinking, “Well, that explains why I have pain then.” Maybe it was arthritis or degeneration A disc bulge, some other kind of damage that you saw on the scan right there in black and white?

But here’s a question I’d like you to have a little think about  – Just because we can see something on a scan, does that mean that’s what’s actually causing my pain? 

Hi, I’m Alexis Weidland, osteopath at BlossomingMe and Healthy Learning Lounge. 

A story

A little while ago, a lovely client came into the clinic carrying a folder. Before she’d even sat down, she opened it and handed me her MRI re- re- report and said, “Well, here it is. My scan shows degeneration, so I suppose that’s why I’m in pain, and maybe I can’t do anything about it either.” 

She looked so disappointed, almost defeated, as though those few lines on the report had already decided what her future would look like. 

It made me pause because, well, the scan was showing something important, really important, but… Had anyone ever tried to explain to her what, on a scan – can and cannot tell us? 

A Belief

Today, I’d like to gently challenge one belief that I hear so often in my clinic. 

If it’s on my scan, that must be the reason I’m in pain, and if I can’t change it on the scan, then I’ll always be in pain. 

And sometimes one or both of those things can be true. 

Scans can identify fractures, significant injury, inflammatory conditions, arthritis, sometimes even infection, and many other important problems, and they are an incredibly important part of modern healthcare. 

They don’t, however, always tell us the whole story.

And I actually find that incredibly reassuring because it means that your scan isn’t the only thing that determines how comfortable you can be!

A scan shows what your body looks like. It doesn’t necessarily tell you why you’re in pain or how your body functions. Scans are excellent at showing structural changes. They can show arthritis, disc changes, tendon issues, previous injuries, age-related wear and tear, and many important medical conditions. 

But seeing a change on scan doesn’t automatically tell us that this is the structure creating the pain that we’re feeling right now. 

That’s one of the reasons that your healthcare practitioner should always compare your scan with your symptoms, your examination, and your whole story 

Photo vs Movie

       👉A scan is a photograph. 

       👉Your body is much more like a movie. 

A scan captures one moment in time, usually whilst you’re lying completely still. It can’t show us how your ribcage moves when you breathe, how your pelvis transfers load when you walk, how your muscles coordinate, how your fascia shares the tension of those muscles, how your body adapts throughout an ordinary day. It also can’t show the temporary strains, protective muscle activity, movement patterns, or compensations that may be contributing to your discomfort. 

This Is Important Because…

Those are often some of the very things that we, as osteopaths and hands-on therapy practitioners can improve!

Which means that sometimes people can become dramatically more comfortable even though the structure on the scan doesn’t change at all. 

Structural change doesn’t always equal pain. 

As we move through our life, our bodies will naturally change, just like our skin develops wrinkles or our hair will gradually turn gray. Our joints, discs, tendons, and other tissues also change. Images often will show these age-related changes, previous injuries, and long-standing tissue adaptations.

Sometimes those findings are really important and clearly explain a person’s symptoms. Sometimes they’re one contributing factor among many, and sometimes they’re simply present while the person has no pain at all. 

That’s why we don’t treat a scan. We treat a person sitting right in front of us, because understanding how your body functions is just as important as understanding what your scan shows and why. 

Interestingly

Over the years, I’ve worked with many people whose scans look quite concerning. Yet many of these people were moving remarkably well and with minimal pain in those areas.

 I’ve also worked with people whose scans show very little, yet they’re experiencing significant pain. 

Those experiences have reminded me again and again that recovery is about understanding the whole person, not simply an image. 

That’s why 

Before I even begin examining someone, I spend time listening. 

I want to understand their full story, not just about what’s happened in the last week or three. 

I want to understand how they move, how they breathe, how they stand, how they walk, how different parts of their body have been sharing load. 

Only then do I start putting the pieces together because every one of those pieces gives valuable information 

A Thought

So perhaps next time you hear the words, 

“Your scan shows,” 

Stop and just remember that information is valuable, deserves to be looked at and paid attention to. But it also deserves context. 

A scan is one piece of the puzzle.
The more pieces of this puzzle that we can understand, the better decisions that we can make together. So from this, 

I have three invitations for you. 

1. The first is if you have had a scan, read it with curiosity rather than with fear. 

If there are parts that you don’t understand, ask questions.  Understanding often reduces unnecessary worry. 

2. My second invitation, remember that your body is more than just an image. Notice what helps, what aggravates things, how you move, how you breathe. 

Are you actually, over time, improving – in at least one part of your life? Those things all matter. 

3. And my third invitation is keep building your body’s capacity, no matter what the scans show. Recovery isn’t usually about finding the perfect… anything. It’s about helping your body to become more adaptable, more resilient, and over time, more confident. There are things that we can do no matter what’s on the scan to help to build a little bit more capacity. 

Recap

Over the last few weeks, we’ve challenged and discussed some very common beliefs. We explored whether posture is really the problem, whether pain tells the whole story, whether recovery is about finding the one magic solution, and today, whether a scan explains everything we feel. My hope isn’t that you stop valuing any of these things because they are all important. 

My hope is that you begin seeing each one as a valuable piece of a much bigger picture, because that’s how I believe our bodies work, as wonderfully connected systems, always adapting, always communicating, always doing their best to help us.

Next Step

 If this series has helped you to start to think about your body differently, I’d really love to hear your a-ha moments and what you’ve identified. 

I’d love to invite you to continue exploring. 

If you’ve ever wondered what patterns might be in- influencing your symptoms, 

try our new Integrative Pain Pattern Discovery Coach. It asks thoughtful questions to help you to understand some of the influences that may be affecting your body, and give you some practical first steps to begin supporting your recovery right now from home. 

And if you’re ready to improve the way your body breathes, moves, manages pressure and load transfer, the Rib Cage Reset Mini-course is a wonderful place to start. You’ll find the links for both below. 

Reflection

As we finish this first Recovery Reframed series, I’d love you to think back over the last four weeks. Has there been one belief that has actually changed? One idea that surprised you? One question that you’re now asking differently? Because I truly believe that understanding is one of the most powerful first steps towards your recovery. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.

So that’s it for today.

Did it raise any questions or aha moments? If so, I’d love to hear them. So please put those in the comment section. I love answering questions. I hope you found today useful. And if you know someone who could use this information, please share it. Remember to comment, like and subscribe.

Until next time and in health,

Bye for now.

Click the Button Below for my RibCage Reset min-course

About Blossoming Me

BlossomingMe offers a fully integrated approach to your wellbeing. Located on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Sarah is our Cranio-sacral and Remedial Massage Therapist and health and lifestyle coach. She can help relieve those problematic knots, tightness and other specific ailments to promote a healthy recovery. These complementary massage therapies can be combined to suit your needs, and include: craniosacral therapy, shiatsu, acupressure, reiki, remedial, swedish, and body-mind-massage. 

Our qualified Osteopath, Alexis, offers a drug free, minimally invasive, “hands on” treatment focusing on the musculoskeletal system with its associated muscles, tendons, ligaments, membranes, bones and joints. Alexis takes a functional approach. This means that she focuses on the way a component (body part, tissue or group of tissues) performs its role, as well as the way the body works, performs and integrates as a whole. Our team can support you to improve your posture and therefore your overall health.

**Disclaimer** The information provided by BlossomingMe, on our website, in our courses, and in our blogs and posts, is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site and social outlets is not, nor intended to be, a substitute for profess

ional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health professional before you make any changes to your health regime, before dealing with new symptoms, and, if something you have read here has raised any questions or concerns regarding your situation.

How many times have you thought… “I know what I need to do. I just need to…” There’s something incredibly appealing about finding the one thing that will finally fix the problem. And sometimes that thing is helpful.

• Your core may benefit from strengthening.
• Your glutes may need more capacity.
• You may need more mobility – or more rest.

But… the myth is that one of them must be THE answer.

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here it is…

I Just Need To…

Why the “one thing” approach often keeps us stuck

Have you ever caught yourself saying…

“I know what I need to do. I just need to strengthen my core.”

Or maybe…

“I need to strengthen my glutes.”

“I just need to stretch more.”

Or even…

“I’ve hurt myself, so I just need to rest.”

If you have, you’re definitely not alone.

Hi, I’m Alexis Weidland,  osteopath and co-founder at BlossomingMe and Healthy Learning Lounge, and today we’re continuing our Recovery Reframed series by looking at one of the most common assumptions I hear about recovery:

“I just need to…”

A Story

A little while ago, I was chatting with a lovely client who’d been struggling with lower back pain for quite some time.

As we talked, she sighed and said, “I know what I need to do… I just need to strengthen my core.” A few minutes later she added, “Actually… maybe it’s my glutes.” And later still she started talking about that  she needed to stretch more to allow her body to move more effectively. By the end of the appointment she’d also mentioned resting more, buying a new chair and getting a different pillow.

It made me smile, because I hear some version of this almost every week. “I just need to…”

   ✨ Strengthen my core.

   ✨ Activate my glutes.

   ✨ Stretch my hip flexors.

   ✨ Foam roll.

   ✨ Rest.

   ✨ Walk more.

   ✨ Walk less.

   ✨ Find the right exercise.

We’re constantly looking for the one thing that’s going to fix everything. And I completely understand why. We all want simple answers. But our bodies are rarely that simple.

Today’s Big Idea

So today I’d like to gently challenge another common belief. That recovery is about finding one missing piece. Because in my experience, it’s much more often about helping lots of small pieces work together a little better. That’s a very different way of looking at recovery.

Three Things Many People Don’t Realise

1. Most advice isn’t wrong… It’s just incomplete.

Core strength matters. Glute strength matters. Mobility matters. Rest matters. Walking matters.

The problem isn’t usually the advice. It’s believing that one of those things, on its own, is the answer.

2. Your body adapts as a whole.

Imagine trying to improve an orchestra by only tuning the violin. The violin might sound beautiful. But if the rest of the orchestra isn’t working together, the music still won’t sound right. Our bodies are remarkably similar.

Breathing… Movement… Confidence of movement… Sleep… Strength… Our Mobility… Our Vitality… Our ability to Balance… Our ability to transfer load efficiently. They’re all playing together.

3. Recovery is usually about building capacity.

 Not asking what one thing needs to be fixed, but maybe more, “what can I do to help my body to become more capable?”

 Sometimes it is about improving strength. Or reducing tension. Sometimes it’s about sleeping better. Maybe it is more about moving more confidently, and sometimes we simply need to learn that our body is safer than we thought. 

A Story from Clinic

One client came to see me convinced her weak core was causing all of her problems. We certainly worked on trunk control. But we also worked on breathing, her walking pattern, her hip mobility, the way her body transferred load and her confidence with movement. And gradually she became more able to comfortable moving again. But was it because of the core exercises? Well probably partly. But I don’t think it was only because of the core exercises.

I think it was because her body became more able to work together and more adaptable in doing so.

Bringing It Together

So perhaps this week, instead of asking, “What’s the one thing I need to fix?”

Try to focus on – “What might my body need a little more of right now?”

And in this moment, it may be a little more movement or a little bit more rest. Maybe a little more confidence in how we do things, a little more strength, a little nit of stretching. Maybe it’s more variety.

Small improvements across several areas often have a much bigger impact than chasing one perfect solution.

Three Invitations

So I have three invitations for you today. The first

Become curious.

Notice how often you catch yourself saying, “I just need to…” Ask yourself whether that’s the whole story. Two…

Think more broadly.

Rather than searching for one magic exercise, consider what else might help your body feel more comfortable, and more capable and work more effectively together. And three…

Celebrate progress.

ANY progress – Recovery isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about helping your body become a little more adaptable and capable and ABLE… each day.

Next Step

If you’d like some help understanding which areas may be influencing your own recovery, I’d love to invite you to try my interactive Pain Pattern Discovery Coach.

The link is in the description. It asks thoughtful questions to help you explore your own patterns and identify some simple, practical first steps that you can do now… safely, to help you to begin your recovery..

And if you’re ready to begin improving the way your body breathes, moves and manages pressure and load transfer, the Rib Cage Reset Mini Course is a wonderful place to begin.

Next Week

Next week we’ll tackle another belief I hear all the time. “My scan explains why I’m in pain.”

Scans can be incredibly helpful. But do they always tell the whole story? We’ll explore that together.

One final Reflection

What’s one thing you’ve been hoping would “fix” your body? And…

What might change if you focused instead on gradually building your body’s overall capacity?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

 So that’s it for today. Did it raise any questions or aha moments? If so, I’d love to hear them, so please put those in the comments section. I love answering questions. I hope you found today useful, and if you know someone who could use this information, please share it. Remember to comment, like, and subscribe. Until next time, and in health, bye for now

Click the Button Below for my RibCage Reset min-course

About Blossoming Me

BlossomingMe offers a fully integrated approach to your wellbeing. Located on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Sarah is our Cranio-sacral and Remedial Massage Therapist and health and lifestyle coach. She can help relieve those problematic knots, tightness and other specific ailments to promote a healthy recovery. These complementary massage therapies can be combined to suit your needs, and include: craniosacral therapy, shiatsu, acupressure, reiki, remedial, swedish, and body-mind-massage. 

Our qualified Osteopath, Alexis, offers a drug free, minimally invasive, “hands on” treatment focusing on the musculoskeletal system with its associated muscles, tendons, ligaments, membranes, bones and joints. Alexis takes a functional approach. This means that she focuses on the way a component (body part, tissue or group of tissues) performs its role, as well as the way the body works, performs and integrates as a whole. Our team can support you to improve your posture and therefore your overall health.

**Disclaimer** The information provided by BlossomingMe, on our website, in our courses, and in our blogs and posts, is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site and social outlets is not, nor intended to be, a substitute for profess

ional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health professional before you make any changes to your health regime, before dealing with new symptoms, and, if something you have read here has raised any questions or concerns regarding your situation.

If your shoulder, back or knee hurts, it’s natural to assume that’s where the problem is. But pain doesn’t always tell the whole story. Discover why understanding how your body works as an integrated system can help you make better decisions about pain, movement and recovery.

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here it is…

If It Hurts There…

That Must Be Where The Problem Is?

Hi, I’m Alexis Weidland, osteopath at BlossomingMe and Healthy Learning Lounge. Last week we explored one of the biggest assumptions I hear in clinic: ‘My body is out of alignment.’ Today I’d like to gently challenge another assumption…

“If it hurts here, then here’s where the problem is.”

A Story from Clinic

A lovely lady came to see me because of persistent shoulder pain. Before she’d even sat down she pointed to the outside of her shoulder and said:

“It hurts right here. Can you fix that muscle for me?”

If I wasn’t trained in this area, that’s probably exactly what I’d be thinking too. If it’s where it hurts, surely that’s where the problem is.

We Started With Questions

Instead of jumping straight into examining her shoulder, we talked.

        👉   When did it begin?

        👉   What makes it better or worse?

          👉    Has it changed recently?

        👉   How have you been sleeping?

          👉    What sort of work have you been doing?

          👉    Were there any previous injuries?

          👉   How stressed have you been?

Gradually, a much bigger picture started to emerge.

What We Found

Her shoulder was certainly irritated, but it wasn’t the only finding. Her:

         ✔   Upper back was stiff.

         ✔   Rib cage wasn’t expanding well.

         ✔   Breathing had become shallow.

         ✔   Neck muscles were working harder than they needed to.

         ✔   Arm wasn’t swinging naturally when she walked.

                             ➝ Suddenly, her shoulder wasn’t the only thing telling us the story.

The Primary Driver

One of the phrases I’ve started using in clinic is ‘primary driver’ (the influence currently having the biggest impact on the way your body is functioning).

“Sometimes the primary driver is exactly where the pain is. Sometimes it isn’t.”

Pain Is the Loudest Voice

I often think of pain as the loudest voice in the room. We should absolutely pay attention to it – but it isn’t always the only voice.

• Breathing
• Rib cage movement
• Sleep
• Stress
• Movement patterns
• Previous injuries
• Load transfer through the body

Pain as a Protective Alarm

I like to think of pain as your body’s protective alarm system. Like a smoke alarm, its job is to draw your attention to something important. Sometimes it reflects tissue damage very accurately. Sometimes it becomes overprotective and responds to many influences working together.

Questions Worth Asking

• What is my body trying to protect?
• What has changed recently?
• Has my movement changed?
• Has my breathing changed?
• How am I sleeping?
• Am I under more stress?
• What patterns am I noticing?

Examples

The same principle can apply to headaches, heel pain and lower back pain. Sometimes the painful area is the primary driver. Other times, other regions or systems are increasing the load on that area.

“Pain points us towards a problem. It doesn’t always explain the problem.”

Three Gentle Invitations

Before finishing, I’d love to invite you to try three things this week.

• Become a detective: Notice the patterns around your pain rather than only where it hurts.
• Listen to the quieter voices: Pay attention to breathing, sleep, stress, movement and confidence.
• Be patient with your body: Recovery usually happens one small step at a time.

Recovery Reflection

If pain is the loudest voice, what quieter voices might your body also be trying to help you hear?

Next Week

Next week we’ll explore another common assumption: ‘I just need to strengthen my core…’, ‘I just need to stretch more…’, or ‘I just need to activate my glutes…’.

So that’s it for today.

Did it raise any questions or aha moments? If so, I’d love to hear them. So please put those in the comment section. I love answering questions. I hope you found today useful. And if you know someone who could use this information, please share it. Remember to comment, like and subscribe.

Until next time and in health,

Bye for now.

Click the Button Below for my RibCage Reset min-course

About Blossoming Me

BlossomingMe offers a fully integrated approach to your wellbeing. Located on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Sarah is our Cranio-sacral and Remedial Massage Therapist and health and lifestyle coach. She can help relieve those problematic knots, tightness and other specific ailments to promote a healthy recovery. These complementary massage therapies can be combined to suit your needs, and include: craniosacral therapy, shiatsu, acupressure, reiki, remedial, swedish, and body-mind-massage. 

Our qualified Osteopath, Alexis, offers a drug free, minimally invasive, “hands on” treatment focusing on the musculoskeletal system with its associated muscles, tendons, ligaments, membranes, bones and joints. Alexis takes a functional approach. This means that she focuses on the way a component (body part, tissue or group of tissues) performs its role, as well as the way the body works, performs and integrates as a whole. Our team can support you to improve your posture and therefore your overall health.

**Disclaimer** The information provided by BlossomingMe, on our website, in our courses, and in our blogs and posts, is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site and social outlets is not, nor intended to be, a substitute for profess

ional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health professional before you make any changes to your health regime, before dealing with new symptoms, and, if something you have read here has raised any questions or concerns regarding your situation.

For years we’ve been told that if we could just stand taller, sit straighter and stop slouching, our bodies would feel better.

But our bodies weren’t designed to hold one perfect posture. They were designed to move. So, do you really need better posture, or is there more to the story?

Want to read the transcript instead?

here it is…

Do You Really Need Better Posture?

Hi, I’m Alexis, an osteopath here at BlossomingMe, and welcome to the very first episode of our new series, Recovery Reframed.

Over the next four weeks, I’d like to gently challenge some of the most common assumptions I hear in the clinic every single day. Not because they’re completely wrong, but because sometimes the way we think about our bodies can quietly slow our recovery.

My hope is that by the end of this series, you’ll have a little more confidence in your body, a little less fear, and perhaps start looking at your health through a slightly different lens.

So, let’s start with one of the biggest assumptions I hear almost every day.

Can I ask you a question?

Has anyone ever told you… 

• “Your pelvis is out.”

• “One leg is shorter.”

• “Your spine is out of alignment.”

• “Your posture is terrible.”

Or maybe you’ve looked in the mirror yourself and thought… “No wonder my back hurts… look how crooked I am.”

If that sounds familiar… You’re certainly not alone.

In fact, it’s one of the most common conversations I have with people when they first come into the clinic.

I remember one lovely lady who came to see me not too long ago. Before she’d even sat down she smiled and said, “I think my pelvis is out again.”

So I asked her, “What makes you think that?”

She said, “Well… my back’s sore; one hip feels higher than the other; my jeans don’t seem to sit straight; I just feel twisted.”

As she was talking, I realised I’d probably had that same conversation hundreds of times over the years. 

• Sometimes it’s the pelvis.
• Sometimes it’s the neck.
• Sometimes it’s the shoulder.
• Sometimes people tell me their ribs have gone out.
• Or that one leg is shorter.
• Or that they know they have terrible posture and that’s obviously why they’re in pain.

And do you know what? I completely understand why people think that.

Because many of us have grown up hearing messages like…

• “Sit up straight.”

• “Shoulders back.”

• “Don’t slouch.”

• “You’re standing crooked.”

We’ve seen pictures of perfect posture. 

We’ve been shown ideal spinal curves. We’ve been told our hips should be level. Our shoulders should be level. Our body should be symmetrical.

So if something hurts… Or if we notice one shoulder sitting a little higher… Or we catch ourselves slouching… It’s perfectly understandable that we think,

“Maybe my body’s out of alignment.”

Now before we go any further… I want to make something really clear.

Your posture matters.

The way your body moves matters.

The way different parts of your body work together matters.

And yes…

Changes in posture, movement patterns and the way we load our bodies can absolutely contribute to pain.

So today isn’t about pretending posture doesn’t matter. Because I don’t believe that’s true.

Instead…

I’d simply like to ask a different question.

Is posture the whole story?

Or could there be a much bigger picture that helps explain why your body is feeling the way it is?

Because in my experience… 

When we only focus on trying to straighten the body… We can sometimes miss what the body is actually trying to tell us.

One of the reasons I love being an osteopath is that I get to watch how beautifully adaptable the human body really is.

Every single day I see bodies finding ways to cope. Finding ways to protect. Finding ways to keep people moving despite old injuries, busy lives, emotional stress, pregnancy, desk jobs, growing children, sporting injuries, surgeries… and everything else life throws at us.

Our bodies are constantly adapting. And that’s something I think we often underestimate.

Think about what happens when you walk.

• Your pelvis rotates.
• Your rib cage rotates.
• Your spine rotates.
• One hip accepts your body weight while the other swings through.
• Your arms naturally move in opposite directions.
• Your feet are constantly adjusting to the ground beneath you.

Now imagine trying to keep your body in one perfectly aligned position while walking.

You’d look like a robot. It would feel awkward. And it certainly wouldn’t be efficient.

Movement isn’t the opposite of good posture. Movement is part of good function.

That’s why I’d like to offer you a different way of thinking. Not better. Not worse. Just different.

Because I think this one idea has the potential to completely change the way you see your body.

Your body isn’t trying to be perfectly aligned. It’s trying to be adaptable.

Take a moment to really think about that. Because I believe it changes almost everything that follows.

So let’s come back to the lady who thought her pelvis was out.

Was it? Well… Perhaps.

In that moment… Her pelvis may well have been sitting a little differently. One hip did move differently. Her rib cage was certainly moving differently. She was carrying more tension through one side.

Those observations were real. They weren’t imagined. But here’s the important question…

Why?

That’s the question I become interested in.

Did her body wake up that morning and simply decide to become crooked?

Probably not.

Maybe she’d 

• Been caring for her elderly mother.
• Spent three weeks carrying a toddler.
• Stopped walking because of heel pain.
• Been under enormous emotional stress.
• Stopped breathing well because of persistent rib cage stiffness.
• Changed the way she moved because of pain.

The posture wasn’t the diagnosis. It was information. It was one chapter of the story. Not the whole story.”

So…

Let’s come back to the question we started with. Do you really need better posture?

My answer is… Probably not in the way you’ve been led to believe.

I don’t think most of us need to spend our lives trying to hold one perfect position.

Instead…

I think we need bodies that feel comfortable moving through lots of different positions.

Bodies that can – Bend; Reach; Rotate; Carry; Walk; Sit; Stand; Get down onto the floor; Get back up again.

👉 Bodies that adapt to whatever life asks of them.

Because life doesn’t happen in one posture. Life happens in movement.

Now… Imagine

Two trees standing side by side. One is completely rigid. It hardly moves at all.

The other bends and sways with the wind. Now imagine a storm comes through.

Which tree is more likely to survive?

Usually… It’s the one that can adapt. The one that can move. The one that isn’t fighting every gust of wind.

Our bodies are remarkably similar. The goal isn’t to become perfectly rigid. The goal is to become 

•  Adaptable   
• Strong   
• Resilient

👉 Able to respond to whatever life asks of us.

And I think that’s a much healthier goal than chasing perfect posture.

Looking Beyond Perfect Posture

One of the reasons I love what I do is that every single person teaches me something.

Yes, I’ve spent years studying anatomy, biomechanics, pain science and the incredible complexity of the human body.

But some of my biggest insights haven’t come from textbooks.

They’ve come from sitting across from thousands of people, listening to their stories, watching how they move, and asking myself one simple question…

“Why has this person’s body chosen this particular strategy?”

That’s very different from asking, “What’s wrong with them?”

Because when we only ask what’s wrong, we often end up looking for something that’s broken.

But when we ask why… Our perspective changes. We become curious.

And curiosity is one of the most powerful tools we have in healthcare.

Over the years I’ve also become increasingly fascinated by just how adaptable the human body really is. 

Think about this for a moment.

Have you ever carried a heavy shopping bag on one side? Or a child on one hip?

Have you ever spent hours gardening? Moved house? Painted a room? Driven all day? Worked at a computer for ten hours?

We’ve all done things that temporarily change the way we move. Maybe afterwards you noticed 

• One shoulder felt tighter. 
• Your back felt stiff.
• Your neck felt sore.
• Or your body just felt… different.

Does that mean your body is damaged? Usually not.

More often than not, it means your body has adapted to the demands you’ve placed on it.

That’s what healthy bodies do. They adapt.

I’ll often notice this in myself. After a busy clinic day, I might realise I’ve spent hours leaning over patients from one side. Or perhaps I’ve been sitting at the computer longer than I intended while working on course material.

Sometimes I’ll stand up and think, “Wow… I feel a little stiff today.”

I don’t panic. I don’t immediately assume something has gone wrong.

Instead, I see it as information. My body is simply letting me know that it’s responded to what I’ve asked of it today.

Maybe it needs a walk. Maybe it needs some movement in a different direction. Maybe it needs a good night’s sleep.

That feels like a much kinder conversation to have with myself than, “Oh I’ve done it again, I’ve overworked myself… I’ll pay for that!”

Now, I know some of you might be thinking…

“But Alexis, I really can see that one shoulder is higher.”

Or… “My pelvis really does feel twisted.”

And you know what? You may well be right. Bodies aren’t perfectly symmetrical. Mine isn’t. Yours probably isn’t either.

• One foot is often slightly longer or wider than the other.
• One hip may move a little differently.
• One side of the rib cage may expand more easily than the other.
• One shoulder may naturally sit a little higher.
• One leg may appear longer in certain positions and shorter in others.

These are observations. And observations are useful.

As an osteopath, I spend a lot of time observing. I look at:

• Posture.
• They way people breathe.
• How they walk.
• If they are balanced.
• How they bend, squat, transfer weight.
• How their rib cage and pelvis move.

Because posture provides information. 

But movement reveals function.

That’s where the real story often begins.

 I’ve also noticed something else over the years. 

I’ve seen people, often one after the other in clinic, that have really similar twists and strains in their body. But one feels pain in the right hip, and one feels pain in the left hip. Or where one person feels pain in the hip, where a different person would feel pain in the knee.

If posture alone explained pain, that wouldn’t make much sense! 

Likewise, I’ve seen people whose scans show age-related changes, yet they’re gardening and hiking and traveling and enjoying life. And then I’ve met people who have very little changes on imaging who are experiencing significant discomfort.

What that tells me is something really important.

Pain is rarely explained by one single thing. It’s usually a combination of many influences.

• Movement.
• Load.
• Recovery.
• Stress.
• Sleep.
• Previous injuries.
• Confidence.
• Breathing.
• General health.
• Our nervous system.

And yes… Often posture is part of that picture too. But it’s rarely the entire picture.

That’s why I’d encourage you to think of posture as a clue… Not a conclusion.

It’s one piece of information. One chapter of the story. Not the whole book.

And I think that’s incredibly useful, and hopeful. Because if your body isn’t defined by one posture… Or one scan… Or one diagnosis…

Then it also means your future isn’t defined by them either.

Your body has the remarkable ability to continue adapting, learning and become more resilient.

And that’s exactly what we’re trying to encourage. 

Not perfection  👉 Progress.

Not rigidity  👉 Adaptability.

Not fear  👉 Confidence.

What changed?

One of the things I really enjoy about healthcare is that it’s always evolving. As clinicians, we’re constantly learning. Sometimes new research confirms what we’ve believed for years. Sometimes it helps us refine our thinking.

And occasionally…

It completely changes the questions we’re asking. I think that’s one of the reasons I still love learning after all these years. Because the human body keeps reminding us that it’s wonderfully complex.

If we’d had this conversation thirty or forty years ago… Many health professionals would have confidently said, “Poor posture causes pain.”

It seemed logical. If something looked crooked… Surely that must be the problem.

If one shoulder was higher… If your spine wasn’t perfectly straight… If your pelvis wasn’t level…

That seemed like the obvious explanation. And to be fair… Sometimes it was part of the explanation.

But over time… Researchers started noticing something interesting. Actually…

Something quite surprising.

They began looking at thousands of people.

People with back pain. People without back pain.

People with neck pain. People without neck pain.

People with “good” posture. People with “poor” posture.

And they started asking…

“Does posture consistently predict who will have pain?”

The answer…

Wasn’t as simple as anyone expected.

They found people with what many would call “beautiful posture”… Who still had pain.

And they found people who slouched… Sat awkwardly… Worked physically demanding jobs… Or stood in ways that looked less than ideal… Who had no pain at all.

Now…

That doesn’t mean posture is irrelevant. Far from it.

What it tells us is something much more interesting.

Posture is one influence. Not the influence.

Imagine you’re baking a cake. 

Could flour influence the final result?

Of course. But flour isn’t the whole cake. You also need eggs, liquid, heat and time.

The same is true of our bodies.

Posture may contribute. But so might…

How you breathe; sleep; how much stress you’re carrying; how strong and confident you feel; how often you move; how well you recover; your previous injuries; your general health; the demands of your work; your fitness; even your beliefs about pain.

When all of those ingredients come together… They create the experience you’re having today.

And that’s actually incredibly good news. 

Because if posture was the only thing that mattered… Recovery would simply be about finding the perfect position.

But most of us know from experience… That doesn’t really happen.

Have you ever caught yourself sitting beautifully upright… Only to notice your neck still hurts?

Or perhaps you’ve found yourself completely relaxed on holidays… Moving more…

Laughing more… Sleeping better… And somehow…

Your pain starts settling down… Even though you’re probably not thinking about your posture at all.

Why?

Because your body doesn’t experience life one factor at a time. It experiences everything together.

One of the biggest shifts in my own clinical thinking has been moving away from asking,

“What position is this person in?” Towards asking, “How well can they move between positions?”

That might sound like a small difference. But it’s enormous. Because life isn’t lived in one posture.

Life is movement.

We bend, reach, twist, carry, lift, walk, sit, stand, roll over in bed, play with grandchildren, unload the dishwasher, garden, travel, dance… Live.

The body isn’t designed to hold one perfect position all day. It’s designed to move confidently between thousands of different positions.

Sometimes people ask me, 

“So what’s the perfect posture?” And honestly… I think the best answer is…

Your next posture.

Because the healthiest posture is often the one that changes.

If you’ve been sitting… Stand.

If you’ve been standing… Walk.

If you’ve been walking… Sit for a while.

Variation is healthy. Our bodies love variability. They’re built for it.

In fact… When I assess someone in the clinic… I’m much more interested in how they move… Than whether they look perfectly straight standing still.

Can they rotate comfortably? Can they breathe well? Can they transfer weight? Can they balance confidently? Can they bend without fear? Can they get up from the floor? Can they walk with ease? Can they adapt when life asks something different of them?

Because those questions tell me much more about how their body is functioning.

I think that’s one of the biggest lessons my patients have taught me over the years. The people who tend to do best… Aren’t usually the ones chasing perfect posture. They’re the ones who gradually rebuild confidence. They become less afraid to move. Begin trusting their body again. Improve their capacity. And over time… Their body often responds remarkably well.

Not because it’s become perfect. But because it’s become more adaptable.

Before we finish today, I’d like to invite you to try three simple things this week.

No pressure. No failure. Just curiosity.

The first invitation is simply to become curious.

This week, notice how often you catch yourself thinking… 

“My body’s out.”

“My posture’s terrible.”

“I’ve done something wrong.”

Don’t judge yourself. Just notice. Then ask yourself a different question.

“I wonder what my body is trying to tell me?” (Rather than, “What’s wrong with me?”)

The second invitation –  Instead of chasing the perfect posture… …see if you can give your body a little more variety.

If you’ve been sitting… Stand.

If you’ve been standing… Walk.

If you’ve been gardening… Stretch into a different direction.

If you’ve been working at the computer… Take a few deep breaths, move your rib cage, move your hips, walk to make a cup of tea.

Healthy bodies don’t usually need one perfect position. They thrive on variety.

And finally… the third invitation – I’d like to invite you to trust your body just a little more.

Remember that your body has spent your entire life adapting, learning, protecting you, helping you. It is far more capable than you realise.

Over the next few weeks 

We’re going to keep gently challenging some of the assumptions that many of us have grown up believing. Not because they’re completely wrong, but because sometimes seeing the body through a different lens changes the way we care for it. And I hope, little by little, these conversations help you become more confident in your body, in your movement… and perhaps just a little more curious.

Because I truly believe, Recovery begins with understanding.

So that’s it for today.

Did it raise any questions or aha moments? If so, I’d love to hear them. So please put those in the comment section. I love answering questions. I hope you found today useful. And if you know someone who could use this information, please share it. Remember to comment, like and subscribe.

Until next time and in health,

Bye for now.

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About Blossoming Me

BlossomingMe offers a fully integrated approach to your wellbeing. Located on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Sarah is our Cranio-sacral and Remedial Massage Therapist and health and lifestyle coach. She can help relieve those problematic knots, tightness and other specific ailments to promote a healthy recovery. These complementary massage therapies can be combined to suit your needs, and include: craniosacral therapy, shiatsu, acupressure, reiki, remedial, swedish, and body-mind-massage. 

Our qualified Osteopath, Alexis, offers a drug free, minimally invasive, “hands on” treatment focusing on the musculoskeletal system with its associated muscles, tendons, ligaments, membranes, bones and joints. Alexis takes a functional approach. This means that she focuses on the way a component (body part, tissue or group of tissues) performs its role, as well as the way the body works, performs and integrates as a whole. Our team can support you to improve your posture and therefore your overall health.

**Disclaimer** The information provided by BlossomingMe, on our website, in our courses, and in our blogs and posts, is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site and social outlets is not, nor intended to be, a substitute for profess

ional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health professional before you make any changes to your health regime, before dealing with new symptoms, and, if something you have read here has raised any questions or concerns regarding your situation.