Question & Answer
Q: What conditions have you had success working with?
A: Korpi Posture & Alignment Therapy has had great success with cases of poor posture, forward head position, tendinitis, shin splints, scoliosis, vertigo, carpal tunnel syndrome, bunions, hammer toes, frozen shoulder, chronic pain in any part of the body, sciatica, loss of range of motion and any general human performance weakness. My youngest client is 11 and my oldest is 91. If your physician has ruled out any medical condition, or if he/she refers you for my services, then call for an appointment.
Q: We hear a lot about correct posture these days. Can you give basic guidelines for improvement?
A: Poor posture is a national epidemic. As a culture, we are sedentary, and back muscles, which are the support muscles, become weakened. But it is important to know that most posture problems are preceded by muscle misalignment. So posture “tips” are helpful but having your alignment evaluated and treated first is the way to have success with improved posture as well as reduction of pain and reduced pre-disposition to injury.
Q: What causes feet to turn out or in rather than be straight?
A: If one foot or both feet turn in or out rather than point straight, the core muscles of the pelvis are misaligned. When the core is misaligned, it can and should be corrected in order to prevent further deterioration of the pelvis, which will lead to pain and other problems in later years. Korpi Posture & Alignment can help you with this if you have ruled out a genuine medical problem with your physician.
Q: What fall weather muscle advice do you have?
A: Take advantage of the outdoors! Walk, run, play, go to the park or soak in the morning sun for at least 10 minutes a day if you can! If you experience any aches or pains, and they are not medically related, come see me for a balance and alignment check. You want to be your best in the fall because the winter sports are coming. If in doubt, give me a call now!
Q: What are the best shoes for walking?
A: The best shoes are ones that support your foot fully from the front of the arch to the heel and only bend at the front, at the ball of the foot. If the shoe is too flexible, it will not support the foot, and if it's too rigid, it will prohibit the foot from fully articulating. I also recommend a custom orthotic for the shoe if you have any kind of foot problems. Your podiatrist can make soft ones that support the arch for running shoes or harder ones if you just use the shoe for walking.
Q: Is there a proper way to walk when walking for exercise?
A: Yes. Before you begin a walking routine, see me for a muscle alignment session to ensure you are walking straight. I can coach you on proper walking techniques based on your individual imbalance tendencies. If you walk, or run, for exercise without first being properly aligned, you’ll likely end up with pain or an injury. Don’t ignore pain if you already have it. Go to your physician for an assessment. If there is no need for medical intervention, ask your physician if he or she would recommend Korpi Posture & Alignment Therapy. I can rehabilitate the immediate pain site then address your overall muscle realignment and re-education to ensure the pain does not reoccur.
Q: Why can’t I stand up straight for a long period of time even when I try?
A: Usually poor posture is not the actual problem but the result of misaligned core muscles. Until the core muscles are analyzed and balanced, the rest of the musculature will continue to pull farther out of balance and worse posture will ensue.
Q: Do you have general advice for muscle health?
A: Drink plenty of water and take deep breaths each morning. Muscles are nourished by blood and oxygen, which are made in the body from the water you drink and the air you breathe. If you don't drink enough or breathe deeply enough, your muscles will not get enough nutrition, and you may feel generally achy all over. Check with your physician to rule out any medical problems. See www.watercure.com to understand why water is vital to your health.
Q: Can you address proper sitting for work?
A: If you sit forward on your chair, try changing to a balance ball, which will force your low back into the proper position. Or you can use a “backjoy,” which is a sitting device that tilts the pelvis into position properly. If you sit back, use a lumbar pillow for the low back. Place your monitor and keyboard directly in front of you so your arms bend at a 90-degree angle when typing. Get up and move around at least once an hour, and stretch your neck and torso side to side. Also keep your feet stretched out in front of you as far as possible, and lift your feet up and down a few times each hour.
Q: Why am I beginning to look bent over?
A: Poor posture gets everyone sooner or later. Poor posture is usually preceded by core muscle misalignment. In order to improve the poor posture, we must first address the misalignment problem. We must re-establish a neutral muscle memory beginning in the core and then extending to the other muscle groups in the body. I have worked with babies as young as three days old and seniors as old as 92. Progress is possible at any age or stage of life. Call to make an appointment for your first one-hour session. This is a private-pay clinic and does not accept insurance, but medical savings plans will cover the cost or reimburse.
Q: When driving for a long time in a car, how can I prevent my lower back from hurting?
A: I recommend making sure the lumbar support is fully extended or use a small pillow to be sure your back is properly supported. You can also order a BackJoy, which is an amazing product that adds proper back support to any chair. It should always be used when sitting if you have low back pain. Also, get out of the car and stretch every couple of hours.
Q: If I have a stress fracture can poor alignment be a factor?
A: Yes, if your muscles are out of alignment you could be putting too much weight on one foot. If you have a stress fracture, Korpi Posture & Alignment Therapy may be able to help it heal faster by correcting the imbalance.
Q: Can you treat sore muscles after a car accident?
A: Just yesterday, I worked on a teenager who had totaled her car. She had lots of bruises, but no broken bones. I had actually begun working with her a week before the accident, and perhaps a reason she did not break her ribs was because we had already had one session to straighten out her core muscles. So don't wait — come on in! A body with aligned muscles is not injury-proof, but it can be injury resistant. If you've already been injured, Korpi Posture & Alignment muscle therapy may help facilitate the healing process.
Q: What’s the most unusual advice you give to clients?
A: As an alternative therapist, I think the most unusual advice I give to clients is to see their physician first for a medical diagnosis and to rule out any medical problems before seeing me.
Q: What general advice can you give on feet and ankles?
A: Feet and ankles carry you. They are supremely important. Keep ankles loose and feet stretched out. If you’re a runner, be sure to do a lot of dorsiflexing of feet and ankles. If you walk a lot, be sure to do plenty of plantarflexing of feet and ankles. Wear shoes with good arch support (see your podiatrist for custom inserts if you have flat feet, and vary the height of heels you wear on a daily basis — not always flat, not always high. Proper care of the feet will make a huge difference, especially as you get older.
Q: Can you give some advice about general foot care?
A: Make sure your arches are properly supported. See your podiatrist if you have fallen arches or if you have flat feet. Wear well-fitting shoes, and change the height of the heel two to three times per week — flat shoes, 2-inch heels, 4-inch heels — to be sure the Achilles tendon and low leg muscles do not develop at one length. If a man, you can wear a higher heeled cowboy boot sometimes to give more lift. Get rid of old, worn out shoes. If you have hip, knee, ankle or foot pain after you have taken care of this, and your physician rules out any medical condition, please come to see me for muscle alignment issues.
Deborah Korpi, BGS, LMT, MTI, MMP, BCTMB