Which leg do you love to stand on?
We all have a favorite leg to put our weight upon when we are standing in line, chatting with someone, and when we're cooking/cleaning in the kitchen. Which leg is yours?
Lateral shifts
This guy favors standing into his right leg. Notice the shifts in the spine and pelvis that translate up the the neck region. Now imagine promoting this over years. How good do you think it feels to try to shift to the opposite leg?
Mechanical Scoliosis
As per the last habit change email, this 'favorite side posturing" lends to mechanical shifts of the spine that tend to be "stuck" unless you promote a combination of muscle/fascia release and joint work. A good example is the one of persisting neck pain that you've gotten massages and chiropractic adjustments for years for because it always comes back. If your neck is constantly adapting for your hip/pelvic shift, relief can never be long-lasting until you fix the below region first.
A habit psychologically takes 66 to 90days to form without need for conscious thought. Take that time to promote ONLY your unfavored side to allow it to build flexibility as well as to allow your body to laterally shift the "other" way. Then, take the next 66 to 90days to create a habit of having no favorite sides and shifting symmetrically between sides!
Good physical therapy looks at all of you to resolve your pain, but also WHY you have your pain. I take into account what lifestyle changes would benefit the longevity of your relief as well as provide home interventions so you always feel in control of your situation! When you're in the pursuit of good physical therapy, look for the independent practices, not connected to a chain. We are the ones that can offer the detailed, one-on-one care with extensive hands-on, manual therapy skills.