Health Blog

Feeling “out of line” is a term banded about when it comes to aches and pains, but is this possible?

A joint is not “in or out” apart from in a situation where it is dislocated, always a serious situation, particularly in the spine where paralysis will usually occur with dislocation.

I suspect everyone has seen someone with severe back pain who is bent forward or to one side when they have hurt their back. This is a compensation pattern to reduce pain and the body does it as a result of inflammation / damage, not because a joint is “out”. Usually with sensible management and treatment this will settle down and normal shape is resumed. The type of tissue damaged will determine how long it takes.

Then there are longer term reasons for someone having a specific shape to their body. They may have an injured knee or hip issue that results in that joint being unable to fully straighten, hence actually making the leg slightly shorter on that side. The body is clever and will attempt to stop the resultant lean by creating a bit of an S-shape in the spine. Various factors need to be thought about here, but number one is to keep the spine mobile, so it is comfortable compensating (age, weight, state of spine and other conditions are all factors).

Long-term unexplained Scoliosis, a curve in the spine that can be sideways or front to back, will normally develop in adolescence. That is the time it should be addressed and any significant treatment, such as braces or spinal surgery, will be undertaken to get the spine as straight as possible. Providing it is less than a certain angle and surgery is not required, keeping the spine mobile and strong is the best way to stay comfortable.  

Another potential cause of Scoliosis can be a fracture collapse of a vertebra – this may create a wedge shaped vertebra, resulting in a curve. Establishing the cause of the fracture is important – it could be due to trauma, weak bones caused by Osteoporosis, or a pathology (a disease such as cancer).

This feeling like you are “out of line” tends to be more a case that a tissue has been strained or a joint is stiffer than usual. We call this a functional issue. This is where Osteopaths and Physiotherapists can help. If we can specifically identify the issue as Scoliosis, then we will establish the cause and plan treatment / exercise / referral accordingly.

Mark Pitcairn-Knowles, Osteopath