Doing bodywork remotely
May 31, 2018 8:39 AM   Subscribe

I'm interested in Egoscue bodywork (working with alignment to relieve chronic pain).However, there's not one near me, so I'd have to do either the web option or the less expensive option involving photos. I'm not sure about doing any bodywork this way--have you tried it? Would you recommend it?
posted by mermaidcafe to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)
 
I don't have experience with their remote treatment, but I can vouch for the method. Based on my experience with in-person sessions, I think the remote consultation could work quite well. The main issue will likely be getting good photos that show your alignment, which you'd probably need someone to help with.
posted by Lexica at 10:52 AM on May 31, 2018


I'd be pretty skeptical about how well doing this online would work: a therapist might be able to diagnose postural problems from photos, but the teaching-you-how-to-correct-those-problems part really requires hands on body. I needed a PT to literally reposition my body parts to show me how to stand properly; she could've described what I ought to be doing all day long but it wasn't until she actually reached in and *put* me in the proper position that I really understood it.

I've never heard of Egoscue specifically, but from a brief look at their website it looks very similar to Alexander technique (or Feldenkrais, or Gokhale method, et al.); it may be easier to find a practitioner of one of those in your area. Physical therapists and many massage therapists also offer this sort of postural analysis and therapy. (If you go the massage route, look for someone who specializes in pain relief rather than "relaxation therapy"; there's a big difference between what you get from the more medically-oriented massage therapists vs the day-spa types.)

Personally my best results -- having tried PT, chiropracty, alexander technique, a few epidurals, and lots and lots of whining -- has come from a massage technique called "myofascial release" (with the disclaimer that my wife is a recently trained LMT who specializes in that, so I may have an unfair advantage there). But in general I'd prioritize finding the right therapist, rather than the right brand name technique.
posted by ook at 10:53 AM on May 31, 2018


I would recommend Natasha Dashkovskaya at http://uprightposturefitness.com. She prefers in person sessions. but she will occasionally do remote sessions through Skype. She uses Egoscue but also incorporates other modalities.
posted by luvmywife at 6:41 AM on June 12, 2018


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