August 2014

I met Diane 14 years ago when I was living in Hobart. She had just returned home briefly from studying overseas, which she did every 6 months or so. Although still in her 20’s she’d been living with back pain and limitations to her lifestyle for a long time.

But she was still seeking answers.

Over the next couple of years Diane would appear, with her notes from the last session, questions ready, and we’d establish where she was up to in the process and off she’d go for another 6 months.

And every time she’d be different. She’d have moved along and done the work. This happened 3 or 4 times until we lost contact when I left Hobart to return to New Zealand.

Imagine how delighted I was to hear from Diane again 14 years later and to receive this testimonial. Diane and I have had a skype session to getup to date and see where her postural journey is up to.

“My life turned a corner when I stumbled across Nik Curry several years ago at the local gym in Hobart where he had a small practice working as a physiotherapist. I was desperately miserable from problems with my back, for which I had consulted a procession of health professionals who had made things worse. My back problem didn’t cause much acute pain, but it caused dull pain and extreme discomfort that I had been enduring for years, affecting all aspects of my life.

Nik immediately cheered me up with his personable manner and remarkable insight into my problems. Just from looking at me, watching me walk and inspecting the wear on my shoes he could tell what I was experiencing.

My mind was foggy, confused and skeptical but Nik inspired confidence, clarity and optimism from the start.

Above all, I was struck by how fit and calm Nik looked himself. He had a poise, confidence and stillness that I had only seen previously in people who do a lot of yoga. He hinted at the serious health problems he had experienced and I found this hard to believe, but also realized it was why he knew his subject so well. I was impressed by how cheerful he was, despite all he had been through. 

I had never considered my posture that bad, but Nik pointed out its defects and how it was affecting me (eg ‘your bottom’s on holiday, ‘your shoulder blades stick out like angels’ wings’ and ‘you have a hump’). I now know I had lost core muscle stability and twisted to the right, as a result of gravity and writing right-handed.

Even though I had been quite physically active, my muscles had not been working in alignment for my entire adulthood, setting up a myriad of tensions in my body and affecting profoundly my physical and mental health.

The understanding and exercises Nik gave me enabled me to gradually correct my posture.

Of particular benefit was his detailed advice on how to walk and sit properly, which no one before had come close to giving me. It was difficult breaking long established bad postural habits and two steps forward was often followed by one back, but finally there was light at the end of the tunnel.

I have felt progressively younger, calmer and healthier since the day I met Nik and now people comment on my good posture. Compared with before, walking to me now feels like floating. Looking back, it was as though I was dragging several millstones because of my poor posture and carriage.

Our posture is fundamental to our general health and enjoyment of life. It directly affects our joints, muscles and mobility, but indirectly our internal organs, circulation, lymph flow and mental health. I believe many health problems can be helped by addressing physical posture.

Nik is a genius in identifying postural defects and teaching you how to reverse them. I believe many other health therapies could learn a lot from him.”

This story fills me with gratitude. Not so much for Diane’s fulsome praise, but for her perseverance. She still has her original notes. She’s used them as the foundation to develope a great awareness of her body.

Importantly, Diane suggested that one of the benefits of her having been away a lot back then was that she had to work on things slowly. To let the process evolve through simple, consistent changes.

Posture’s a big subject, as Diane suggests. Driving a body is a billion times harder than driving a car. It requires attention.

I believe that peoples biggest postural challenge is knowing what to pay attention to.

That’s what Postural Patterning is for.