Over 3 years(ending in August 2018) Kate offered Physiotherapy and complementary healing sessions at the Dent8 Dental clinic Taringa Brisbane with a group of Dentists who were very caring and holistic in their approach. Among her many clients were those that were suffering with this debilitating condition.
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She has observed that people with this condition often have poor posture, they tend to slump in the chest and have a strained neck from the skull sitting too far forward and they are commonly stressed in their work and or home lives.
They have stiff and or painful neck and upper spine movements and poor alignment in their bite with restricted jaw opening.
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A session with Kate – an overview
In the initial treatment Kate will do a thorough physical assessment of you, your posture, neck and upper spinal movements and your jaw opening and closing. Kate works with you to assess the possible original physical causes of the problems as well as supporting you to understand how long term stress or tension in the area could be part of the cause.
Kate also assesses the extent of the pain or stiffness and its history, how easily aggravated it can be and any muscle weakness and imbalance that can be associated with the problem area. She will also ask you, if it is appropriate, about your stress levels and emotional health.
Kate will show you how your posture and your skull position on the upper neck has a huge affect on whether your jaw bone sits in a balanced way into the skull or if unbalanced how that can cause bite problems and later down the track jaw pain and neck pain. This thorough assessment supports Kate and you to be very clear on the starting point of the extent of the physical and emotional problems before your treatment begins. This supports you and Kate to work together from the same page in helping you in your healing and recovery.
The client’s treatment maybe a combination of ECTT and remedial massage with specific releases to the facial muscles, jaw muscles and upper neck that are extremely relaxing. This focus on their upper body allows the client to relax their whole body as well as the particular problem areas of connective tissue, muscles and joints that are keeping their skull and jaw position in an unbalanced problematic state. Kate supports the client to reconnect with their elongated posture and balanced skull and jaw position, so that they can feel the difference between sitting/standing long in their spine or hunched over and compressed.
Kate takes the ‘ duty’ out of restoring their natural elongated posture by showing the client the fun, easy and pain-free ways to being naturally longer in their spine throughout their day. Each client has an individualised home program with easy and natural techniques to relax themselves and their bodies at home and work. These include specific ways to relax the connective tissue and muscles of the neck, face and jaw and gentle jaw stretches that help rebalance the skull and jaw joints.
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Clients often report enjoying their home program as it supports them to become more aware of their posture throughout the day. Many have reported that as they support their elongated posture and de-stress, the impact of their condition lessens.