Visual assessment of spinal curvature

I have a client that when lying prone, the left side of her body is a straight line and the right side rounds outward through the hip region. I only did a visual check of her spine in forward bend where I saw no curvature, but perhaps I missed it in the lower back?

I would recommend you assess her in several positions to find the truth - supine, prone, erect Tadasana as well as what you have done with standing forward bend. Often the curves will straighten during standing forward hang.

My guess is that the structural left hip is internally rotated and the right is externally rotated. She is also working with a chiropractor that has resolved a turned-in left foot. What do you think the possibilities are?

  • Don’t guess; persist at getting an accurate exam. Examine for this supine and prone too.

Q 3 - interestingly, her left hip internal and external rotations were standard, yet the right internal rotation was limited.

A 3 - did you find that in both supine and prone?  I doubt it would be equal in both. 

Q 4 - In the same client, when, I did the MMT on psoas, the most pronounced reaction was in her gluts on the same side. Why is that? Her psoas measured weak, so is she recruiting the gluts more than quads? Or perhaps her SI joint is more vulnerable?

A 4 - Please specify tests, do you mean gluteus max strong on right or?  Psoas weak which side?  I cannot reply to this without clarity.  SI is vulnerable to all women; it is the way they are built - 2 vertebrae connecting to the iliac unlike men with three.

Q 5 - In the same client, when doing the SI test, the opposite thumb (SI) goes down. Do you have any insight to why that happens?

A 5 - again please clarify – Do you mean when doing hip flexion on the right the left SI goes down? And vice versa? If so that is a sign of weak psoas on the standing leg side.

Should she completely eliminate the seltzer water (vata enhancing) or can she drink it in part for her hydration?

A 6 - I would recommend she drop it. Seltzer is likely to imbalance vata with all the increased gas in it. One can do whatever they wish but I would say only take it lightly. Namaste