Uneven Balance and How It’s Related to Your Body Alignment

You’re not imagining it—your body is very likely stronger on one side than the other, and it doesn’t necessarily have to do with being right- or left-handed. When you notice uneven balance, it’s a major sign that your body alignment is off, which can cause injuries primarily on one side of your body. The more uneven your balance, the more likely it is that your musculoskeletal system will be affected.

Uneven balance isn’t permanent, however. With physical therapy, you can strengthen and stabilize your body’s structural alignment in Napa County, CA, which will help prevent further injury and body aches.

How muscle imbalances happen

Misalignments can happen without us even realizing it—it’s not your fault, but when you notice a problem, you should work to correct it as soon as possible. Many of us find that our balance is uneven thanks to our workouts, work environment, injuries (new or old), sleeping in uncomfortable positions and stress. It can happen to anyone, and can also be alleviated by physical therapy and being mindful of your posture.

For example, runners who consistently run the same direction on a cambered track will eventually find that one side of their body is making up for the track’s imbalance—which can be fixed by running in the opposite direction. The key is to strengthen your body’s weaker side so you’re not heavily relying on one set of muscles anymore.

There’s a simple way to find out which side is your weaker side: time yourself standing on one leg. You will probably notice that you’re able to stand longer on one side than the other—that’s the stronger side.

Evening the balance

Balance exercises will help you work out any structural misalignment and strengthen the weaker side. Use bilateral exercises that will work one side of the body at a time, and pay attention to your “midline”—the imaginary line that vertically divides your body into “right side” and “left side.” Standing and lifting or pivoting on one leg is a great example of a bilateral exercise—you repeat it on both sides, using more reps for the weaker side until your body evens out.

However, it’s not just exercise you need to consider. Everything you do, from sitting to standing to working out, is an opportunity to realign your body. Try setting a timer on your phone for a “body check” every half hour. Are you leaning to one side? Is one shoulder hunched up around your ear while the other relaxes? Are you putting more weight on one side of your hips? Paying attention will help you even out the balance and reduce muscle strain.

Improve your body’s muscle alignment in Napa County, CA

The team at Focus Forward Wellness & Physical Therapy is available to help you improve your muscle alignment and alleviate any injury or pain caused by uneven balance. Our holistic approach to wellness will help you achieve the results you desire. Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment!

Categorised in: Body Alignment

This post was written by Writer