Is Your Spine “Out of Alignment”?

We often hear patients come in with concerns like “my spine is out of alignment” or “I’ve been told I have a curve that needs correcting.” It’s understandable – being “out of alignment” can sound serious, even alarming. But the truth is more nuanced, and i f you’re feeling unsure, or a bit alarmed – you’re not alone.

That’s exactly why we made the video above. In it, we break down what spinal alignment really means, why posture isn’t always the villain it’s made out to be, and when it’s actually worth addressing.

Let’s walk through the key points here (but we highly recommend watching the video if this topic’s relevant to you or someone in your family).

What does “out of alignment” even mean?

Despite what you might’ve been told, your spine can’t simply “slip out” of place. Unless there’s been a significant trauma (think major car accident), vertebrae don’t just dislocate. What people often experience is tightness, muscle imbalance, or stiffness. This can feel like misalignment, but nothing has “popped out of place”.

What about those spinal curves on X-rays?

It’s true that X-rays can show posture differences or spinal curves. But here’s the important part: these findings don’t always relate to pain. In fact, many people with spinal variations experience zero discomfort. There’s a wide range of what’s considered normal – and modern research supports that (see our “Do I really need an X-Ray?” guide for more info on this).

So when is alignment something to treat?

The truth is, it depends on how it’s affecting your movement, habits, and day-to-day life. If there’s stiffness, pain, or tension that’s showing up in your neck, shoulders, or lower back, that’s worth investigating. But modern, ethical practitioners don’t push large packages upfront or make promises based on scans alone.

Instead, we look at how you move, what’s causing those patterns, and how we can help you feel more like yourself again – whether that means returning to exercise, sleeping better, or simply getting through the day without tension. In our practice we use a unique approach called Quadrant Analysis to uncover hidden causes to pain and symptoms that other practitioners miss. Find out more here.

▶️ Want to understand more? Watch the full breakdown in the video above.