How to Set Up a Posture Practice on a Small Budget
Many healthcare practitioners believe that to have a Posture Practice they need a lot of new equipment, a large office space, and extra staff members. This is a common myth preventing healthcare providers from making the switch in their practices to be a posture-focused clinic.
Good news…
You DON’T need a lot of equipment.
You DON’T need a large office space.
You DON’T need extra staff members.
In fact, the American Posture Institute’s 3-component postural correction system of Spinal Alignment, Posture Rehabilitation, and Posture Habit Re-Education can be implemented in any practice worldwide, regardless of current practice and staff size.
You can get all of the essential posture analysis and rehabilitation equipment for your practice for a very small investment. The return will be far greater than the minimal investment to get started with the Must-Have equipment for posture practices.
Must Have Equipment for a Posture Practice
1) Posture Imaging Software:
The first must-have piece of equipment is Posture Imaging software. By analyzing posture images you can objectively quantify postural distortion patterns and track the patient’s progression throughout their treatment plan. Posture images are the best way to show patients their posture. You can demonstrate objective changes from their first visit to their final re-evaluation.
Did you know that research validates posture imaging, showing that posture images are a more accurate way of assessing posture than visual analyses? Posture imaging software is a MUST for posture practices. This will be the best investment you make as a posture expert, the foundation to a successful practice.
2) Posture Grid:
When taking the Posture Image, the patient will stand in front of the grid in a designated spot. This keeps the images objective and accurate, ensuring that the photos were taken in proper alignment with the grid. With the lines of the grid behind the patient you can more accurately place the points for evaluation and see changes in the patient’s posture from one re-evaluation to the next. You can also get a portable Posture Grid to utilize at community posture screenings if you prefer.
Posture Imaging software and Posture Grids are necessary for posture analysis. The next items we will discuss are necessary for posture rehabilitation.
3) Posture Cushions:
We place posture cushions in the hot seats while patients are waiting for their Complete Posture Correction treatment. By sitting and moving on the posture cushions, it helps with disc hydration and the temperature of the tissues. To change tissue hydration and temperature are fundamental. The patients use them in the office before their treatment, and at home as a part of their Posture Kit for at home posture rehabilitation. We have about 10 Posture Cushions in our clinic, we encourage you to decide how many to put in your office based on your patient flow.
4) Cervical Traction:
Next is cervical traction for correction of head posture distortion patterns, specifically forward head posture which an epidemic in our society. We currently have 7 cervical traction units in our office, but we started with one. You can determine your need again based on patient flow. You can buy cervical traction units from circular traction, which we recommend, or to save money you can get the items from your local hardware store for around $50. Either way works!
5) Head Weights:
Also in relation to correcting forward head posture is head weights. Head weights are highly effective for correcting forward head posture, with the weights on the head, it stimulates the Righting Reflex so the body corrects it posture to be in proper alignment under the cervical spine. Our patients wear head weights in the office while doing Vibration Therapy, they also get head weights in their Posture Kits to be worn each day for best practices.
6) Whole Body Vibration Plates:
Whole body vibration is a proven rehabilitation therapy for objective postural correction results. If purchasing a Vibe Plate for the purpose of postural correction, I highly recommend getting a vertical tri-planar plate. Although there are a plethora of machines that are cheaper, the majority of them are oscillating vibration, which is less effective for structural correction. If you don’t want to purchase a Vibe Plate, or maybe you don’t have room, you can always partner with a local gym or fitness center and send your patients there for vibration therapy. That works great too!
7) Exercise Balls and Balance Boards:
Exercise balls are useful for posture rehabilitation exercises and balance boards are critical for balance training. A large part of our rehabilitation program is centered around balance training on balance boards and through vibration therapy.
And that’s it, that’s all you need to get started with a posture practice! Although other pieces of equipment such as Surface EMG for patient communication, a treadmill with a JBit Medpro, and a handheld vibration tool are also great for posture rehabilitation, to get started you just need the essentials.
Can you see how easy it is to set up a posture practice? Some postural correction “techniques” require you to buy large amounts of new equipment, and even hire an extra staff member to oversee their rehabilitation.
It’s not like that at the American Posture Institute. Instead, we provide you with all of the tools you need and all of your treatment options for API’s three-component correction system. From these options Posture Experts are empowered to select what will work the best for them regarding the size and flow of their practice.
Plus, if you are feeling overwhelmed, you can always get one piece at a time. Start with the must have items, and as your practice grows you can always add more!
Or maybe you want to get as little equipment as possible, but still want to be a Posture Expert? No problem there either. Have your patients purchase “Posture Kits” when they begin their postural correction program in your office. The Posture Kits provide patients all of the tools they need to do at-home posture rehabilitation and still get superior postural correction results.
