Are You in Alignment? How to Unlock Pain-Free Movement.

I’ve had steadily increasing back pain for the past few years. Where my ribs meet my spine on the right side, dull pain restricts my breathing, remnants of an adolescence full of contact sports. Since joining the corporate world, I’ve felt my body slowly curl around the problem. I’ve been to the doctor, gotten X-rays, hung from the pull-up bar at the gym and practiced yoga. Nothing did the trick. X-rays were inconclusive and the doctors shrugged their shoulders.

Serendipity put me in conversation with a stranger at a park in SoHo. His hat posed an interesting question: “Are you aligned?” I was decidedly not. That man introduced me to Robin Galaskewicz, the founder of Phy Health, who put it to me like this: “The brain is the conductor of the orchestra, the muscles are the instruments. When your body is out of alignment, the orchestra is playing out of tune.”

As it turns out, misalignment in the musculoskeletal system is frequently the root cause of chronic pain and the resulting poor posture. Consider posture the outcome of our genetics, prior injury, vocation, and preferred sport or exercise. These factors combine to tell us the personal “story” of one’s posture — and Phy uses state-of-the-art 3D-scanning technology to help people understand it and plot a path forward.

I’ve now been on Phy’s program for the past several months. Am I aligned? I’m getting there. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

It Starts With the Kinetic Chain

The kinetic chain refers to how different parts of the body work together to produce movement. There’s an interconnectivity to our systems, to the way our 650 muscles, 360 joints and 206 bones perform the daily work required in modern life.

Today, half of American adults live with a musculoskeletal condition. The pain caused by them, as Galaskewicz notes, is rarely in isolation. “A left-sided back issue may trace to the right shoulder or hip,” he says. “Small misalignments compound across the body.”

Over time, the body will avoid stressing these areas, which puts additional strain on the joints and muscles forced to pick up the slack. Overworked muscles tighten, unused muscles atrophy. The brain no longer sends signals to those nerves, and imbalances compound. In the long game, today’s niggling pains become the reason you blow out your knee. Develop arthritis. Need help getting out of bed in the morning. Have a catastrophic fall. They are the tiny cracks that end with the shattering of the glass.

Phy Health’s Mission and Methodology

Musculoskeletal disorders cost the medical system over $420 billion annually, more than diabetes or heart disease. Phy is trying to address the issue at the individual level. Powered by AI-mapping software, a 60-second scan taken through Phy’s smartphone app provided me with a report of my total body posture.

The technology splits the body bilaterally into 10 parts. Optimal positioning has been determined through thousands of scans and is based upon each body part’s position within the established “normative ranges.” When viewed together, the broader story reveals itself and is aggregated into a “Phy Score.” Alongside my score, I was given a treasure trove of data — which explains the ways that my imbalances cause me pain and why.

How Did I Do?

My initial scan revealed a score of 45 (the average is 58), pinpointing three areas of focus I needed to target through prescribed exercises.

The report broke down each section of the body alongside a 3D model, quantifying everything from the curvature of my thoracic spine and the rotation of my pelvis, to how many millimeters my neck leans forward, and how evenly (or not) I carry my weight.

My prescribed exercises have largely been low impact, and require long holds. They’re extended stretches that use gravity to straighten my spine, reopen my hips and release tight muscles. The routine is customized to the realignment my body needs, and attempts to rebuild the connection between my brain and these underutilized muscles — while loosening those that have been working overtime.

While no longer a competitor, I will always consider myself an athlete. My current goal is to have my body work optimally as a system and feel good and strong on a daily basis within my chosen activities.

Since I began the program, my score has improved to a 60. The granular data reflects this improvement. My vertical load is more centered, the curve in my spine is decreasing alongside the angle of tilt in my shoulders and the forward lean of my tech neck. But the true impact is felt in the heightened awareness within my physical self, the way I move and hold my body. My core is more engaged, my shoulders are releasing and my breath now moves through the catch in my ribs. In short, my body is realigning.

The Stars Are Aligned

Galaskewicz’s philosophy is to “straighten as we strengthen.” He’s planning for future iterations of Phy to include a performance routine — strength training that complements the regular program. There is also rumor of sport-specific customizations that can tailor exercises to align with the activities expected in your week ahead. Swell incoming? Weekend golf tournament? Rec soccer championships? Phy may end up being your new best friend.

For now, Phy is still waiting to officially launch its consumer product, which means no 3D AI scans for you just yet. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take these lessons and apply them to your posture today.

The musculoskeletal system is overlooked, but it’s the foundation for everything that we do. Sit, stand, lay, run, walk, play, you name it. And while everyone has different goals for their active lives, moving pain-free is an attainable future we should all aspire to. Life’s better when you’re playing in tune.

Meet your guide

Taylor Damron

Taylor grew up on surf magazines and has spent his entire life wishing he were a part of them. After years of hustling a 9-5 from LA to NYC, it was time he went and made it happen. Currently, he’s traveling South America in search of adventure, waves and buried treasure. Not necessarily in that order. He’s writes about his…