Frequently Asked Questions For Portland's Leading Posture Alignment Clinic
What is Egoscue®?
Egoscue® is a world-famous Posture Alignment Therapy method created by Pete Egoscue in 1978. Oregon Exercise Therapy (OET) and Matt Whitehead are certified by Egoscue Institute® and help people of all ages learn what caused their pain and injuries and how correcting their posture, alignment, mobility, and function will allow them to live a pain free and active life. OET does not treat your symptoms, but rather helps you find and fix the underlying cause of your pain and limitations. At OET I help people improve their posture, restore function, and return to a pain free and active life.
What is unique about Postural Alignment Therapy?
Posture Alignment Therapy is based on several simple beliefs: pain is a signal from the body; the body works as a unit; the body can heal itself; all humans share the same design - our postural blueprint; personal responsibility is key to becoming pain free; good posture creates peace of mind; and it is our birthright to live a pain free and active life.
I don't live in Oregon. Can OET still help me?
Yes, absolutely! OET works with clients from all across the United States and around the world using video conferencing (Zoom, Skype, FaceTime) and email. I have happy clients from all over North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
How do I know if an Egoscue Institute® certified therapist and Posture Alignment Therapy can help me?
Matt is the world's leading Egoscue Institute® certified Posture Alignment Therapist. Schedule your free evaluation today and you’ll know by the end of the appointment if OET is for you. I can tell you that thousands of my clients have found relief after working with Oregon Exercise Therapy.
How is OET different than physical therapy, chiropractic, Rolfing, and pain management?
OET and Matt, as your Posture Alignment Therapist, focus on the underlying cause of your pain, not just your symptoms. I will look at and treat your entire body, not just the area of pain or abnormality, which means your overall health will improve as a result of your work with OET. As a Postural Alignment Therapist, I do no hands-on-therapy, but instead focus 100% on teaching you posture exercises you can do yourself for the rest of your life - exercises that will get you better and keep you better. As an Egoscue University® certified Postural Therapist I am not interested in managing your pain, because that would mean I believe your pain is here to stay, and I do not believe that. I believe your body can heal itself and you can once again live, play, and be pain free.
How can OET help if I have a herniated disc, pinched nerve, or stenosis?
Your doctors, surgeons, and other healthcare practitioners probably told you they believe your herniated disc or stenosis is the cause of your pain and thus recommended surgery or some type of pain killer (pills, injections, nerve blocks) and the wait-and-see-if-it-gets-better-and-if-it-doesn’t-then-you’ll-need-surgery-approach. I on the other hand, as an Egoscue certified Posture Alignment Therapist, do not believe the herniated disc or stenosis is the problem, but is a symptom of a larger dysfunction. We'll discover the true cause of your pain by asking questions like: “Why did the disc herniate?” “Why does the pain increase or decrease with different positions?” “What causes stenosis?”
I thought running/tennis/golf was the cause of my pain?
If running caused knee pain, every runner would have knee pain and that’s just not true. If tennis is the cause of your elbow pain, every tennis player would have elbow pain and they don’t. If golf was causing your back pain, every other golfer would also be suffering from back pain and they are not. If the activity was causing your pain that means you’d have to live with pain or give up your favorite activity, but luckily that’s not the case. I believe your compromised posture is the cause of your pain and you can correct it by doing Postural Alignment Therapy.
I'm an athlete and don't have chronic pain, but want to stay injury free and enhance performance. Can OET help me?
Yes! Posture Alignment Therapy with OET can help you stay injury free and boost performance. All sports tend to create musculoskeletal imbalances and working with OET I'll show you how to maintain postural balance and become a stronger, faster, and more efficient athlete. Whether you play basketball, football, baseball, soccer, hockey, volleyball, pickleball, or are a cyclist, runner, swimmer, or golfer, I've helped athletes just like you recover from injury, improve performance, and extend their athletic careers. I've worked with Olympic, professional, and recreational athletes of all ages and know how to take your fitness and function to the next level.
I’ve tried everything and nothing has worked, why would OET and Postural Alignment Therapy be any different?
Most therapies focus on treating your pain and the site of your pain and forget that your body works as a unit. Almost always when other treatments fail it’s because they are missing something important. That missing piece if often posture. Schedule your free evaluation with an Egoscue certified therapist today and see if OET is right for you.
How long does it take until I see and feel results?
Immediately! Clients almost always report positive changes during their first appointment. They report decreased pain, ease of movement, better balance, easier breathing, more stability, better posture, and improved mood. These changes become greater and more permanent as you continue the process of doing your daily Egoscue menu of posture exercises and your weekly follow-up appointments throughout the program.
Why do I need multiple sessions and how many sessions will I need?
Postural alignment deteriorates over time and takes time to correct. The average client will use between 8 and 16 sessions in the first 6 months to get pain free and back to doing the activities and sports they love. The clients who do the best long-term, do an appointment once every 1-3 months after they are pain free.
Do I need to keep doing my menus for the rest of my life?
Only if you plan on staying pain free and living an active life. My clients who continue to do their menus are pain free 5, 10, and 20 years later and still active into their 70s, 80s, and 90s!
What equipment is required to do my e-cises?
You can view and purchase specific Postural Alignment Therapy equipment here which can make doing your e-cises easier. Usually the floor, a wall, a chair, a pillow and a yoga strap is all that is needed and many people make do with what they already have at home. The one piece of equipment many clients do need to purchase is the Egoscue® Multi-Positioning Tower and if this is recommended to you, it will be something that will be well worth the price! During your appointments I will let you know what equipment you will need to get pain free.
What shoes do you recommend I wear?
I recommend shoes that are zero drop, foot-shaped, and flexible. You can view my favorite shoes here. You can view other things I recommend here.
What is an Egoscue Institute® Approved Provider?
Matt Whitehead is an Egoscue Institute® Approved Provider because he has exceeded the required standards of the Egoscue Institute®. Matt is Egoscue Institute® certified as a Posture Alignment Specialist (PAS) and an Advanced Exercise Therapist (AET) and has been a posture alignment therapist for over 20 years. Egoscue Institute® recommends Matt as an Approved Providers because he also utilizes the ePete software, which is the standard of therapy for Posture Alignment Therapy and used in all Egoscue® Franchise clinics world-wide.
How do I get my doctor to understand what you do so they can refer other patients to you?
I would recommend you have them schedule a free evaluation for themselves because first-hand experience is the best way to learn and understand how Postural Alignment Therapy works and how life changing it can be. I am also happy to do a presentation for their office staff.
Egoscue® is a world-famous Posture Alignment Therapy method created by Pete Egoscue in 1978. Oregon Exercise Therapy (OET) and Matt Whitehead are certified by Egoscue Institute® and help people of all ages learn what caused their pain and injuries and how correcting their posture, alignment, mobility, and function will allow them to live a pain free and active life. OET does not treat your symptoms, but rather helps you find and fix the underlying cause of your pain and limitations. At OET I help people improve their posture, restore function, and return to a pain free and active life.
What is unique about Postural Alignment Therapy?
Posture Alignment Therapy is based on several simple beliefs: pain is a signal from the body; the body works as a unit; the body can heal itself; all humans share the same design - our postural blueprint; personal responsibility is key to becoming pain free; good posture creates peace of mind; and it is our birthright to live a pain free and active life.
I don't live in Oregon. Can OET still help me?
Yes, absolutely! OET works with clients from all across the United States and around the world using video conferencing (Zoom, Skype, FaceTime) and email. I have happy clients from all over North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
How do I know if an Egoscue Institute® certified therapist and Posture Alignment Therapy can help me?
Matt is the world's leading Egoscue Institute® certified Posture Alignment Therapist. Schedule your free evaluation today and you’ll know by the end of the appointment if OET is for you. I can tell you that thousands of my clients have found relief after working with Oregon Exercise Therapy.
How is OET different than physical therapy, chiropractic, Rolfing, and pain management?
OET and Matt, as your Posture Alignment Therapist, focus on the underlying cause of your pain, not just your symptoms. I will look at and treat your entire body, not just the area of pain or abnormality, which means your overall health will improve as a result of your work with OET. As a Postural Alignment Therapist, I do no hands-on-therapy, but instead focus 100% on teaching you posture exercises you can do yourself for the rest of your life - exercises that will get you better and keep you better. As an Egoscue University® certified Postural Therapist I am not interested in managing your pain, because that would mean I believe your pain is here to stay, and I do not believe that. I believe your body can heal itself and you can once again live, play, and be pain free.
How can OET help if I have a herniated disc, pinched nerve, or stenosis?
Your doctors, surgeons, and other healthcare practitioners probably told you they believe your herniated disc or stenosis is the cause of your pain and thus recommended surgery or some type of pain killer (pills, injections, nerve blocks) and the wait-and-see-if-it-gets-better-and-if-it-doesn’t-then-you’ll-need-surgery-approach. I on the other hand, as an Egoscue certified Posture Alignment Therapist, do not believe the herniated disc or stenosis is the problem, but is a symptom of a larger dysfunction. We'll discover the true cause of your pain by asking questions like: “Why did the disc herniate?” “Why does the pain increase or decrease with different positions?” “What causes stenosis?”
I thought running/tennis/golf was the cause of my pain?
If running caused knee pain, every runner would have knee pain and that’s just not true. If tennis is the cause of your elbow pain, every tennis player would have elbow pain and they don’t. If golf was causing your back pain, every other golfer would also be suffering from back pain and they are not. If the activity was causing your pain that means you’d have to live with pain or give up your favorite activity, but luckily that’s not the case. I believe your compromised posture is the cause of your pain and you can correct it by doing Postural Alignment Therapy.
I'm an athlete and don't have chronic pain, but want to stay injury free and enhance performance. Can OET help me?
Yes! Posture Alignment Therapy with OET can help you stay injury free and boost performance. All sports tend to create musculoskeletal imbalances and working with OET I'll show you how to maintain postural balance and become a stronger, faster, and more efficient athlete. Whether you play basketball, football, baseball, soccer, hockey, volleyball, pickleball, or are a cyclist, runner, swimmer, or golfer, I've helped athletes just like you recover from injury, improve performance, and extend their athletic careers. I've worked with Olympic, professional, and recreational athletes of all ages and know how to take your fitness and function to the next level.
I’ve tried everything and nothing has worked, why would OET and Postural Alignment Therapy be any different?
Most therapies focus on treating your pain and the site of your pain and forget that your body works as a unit. Almost always when other treatments fail it’s because they are missing something important. That missing piece if often posture. Schedule your free evaluation with an Egoscue certified therapist today and see if OET is right for you.
How long does it take until I see and feel results?
Immediately! Clients almost always report positive changes during their first appointment. They report decreased pain, ease of movement, better balance, easier breathing, more stability, better posture, and improved mood. These changes become greater and more permanent as you continue the process of doing your daily Egoscue menu of posture exercises and your weekly follow-up appointments throughout the program.
Why do I need multiple sessions and how many sessions will I need?
Postural alignment deteriorates over time and takes time to correct. The average client will use between 8 and 16 sessions in the first 6 months to get pain free and back to doing the activities and sports they love. The clients who do the best long-term, do an appointment once every 1-3 months after they are pain free.
Do I need to keep doing my menus for the rest of my life?
Only if you plan on staying pain free and living an active life. My clients who continue to do their menus are pain free 5, 10, and 20 years later and still active into their 70s, 80s, and 90s!
What equipment is required to do my e-cises?
You can view and purchase specific Postural Alignment Therapy equipment here which can make doing your e-cises easier. Usually the floor, a wall, a chair, a pillow and a yoga strap is all that is needed and many people make do with what they already have at home. The one piece of equipment many clients do need to purchase is the Egoscue® Multi-Positioning Tower and if this is recommended to you, it will be something that will be well worth the price! During your appointments I will let you know what equipment you will need to get pain free.
What shoes do you recommend I wear?
I recommend shoes that are zero drop, foot-shaped, and flexible. You can view my favorite shoes here. You can view other things I recommend here.
What is an Egoscue Institute® Approved Provider?
Matt Whitehead is an Egoscue Institute® Approved Provider because he has exceeded the required standards of the Egoscue Institute®. Matt is Egoscue Institute® certified as a Posture Alignment Specialist (PAS) and an Advanced Exercise Therapist (AET) and has been a posture alignment therapist for over 20 years. Egoscue Institute® recommends Matt as an Approved Providers because he also utilizes the ePete software, which is the standard of therapy for Posture Alignment Therapy and used in all Egoscue® Franchise clinics world-wide.
How do I get my doctor to understand what you do so they can refer other patients to you?
I would recommend you have them schedule a free evaluation for themselves because first-hand experience is the best way to learn and understand how Postural Alignment Therapy works and how life changing it can be. I am also happy to do a presentation for their office staff.
