How Long Will I Need To Do Mirror Image® Exercises?

Unless the patient is a child or has recently been injured, most of us have had our abnormal postural displacements for years and sometimes decades. Research has demonstrated that in order to see appreciable strength gains, exercise must be performed for a minimum of 9-12 weeks. In a study of patients who were told they needed surgery, an aggressive 9-12 weeks exercise program prevented surgical intervention and it took at least 3-4 weeks before the patients noticed any pain relief. Other spinal tissues (ligaments and intervertebral discs) take time to adapt to the new forces placed on them from exercise. In fact, collagen (building blocks of ligaments and discs) does not completely repair after an injury for a minimum of 10 months to 1 year.

The second way to answer this question is by looking at specific research on exercise duration with postural correction as the outcome. In a study of 44 scoliosis subjects with abnormal posture, patients were required to perform postural exercises daily for 2.2 years. In another study of women, aged 49-65 years, with too much curvature in their mid back region, exercises were performed 3 times per week for 2 years. Now, the postural exercises you will perform are termed Mirror Image® Exercises, research has shown that the average adult subject with spinal pain requires 2-3 months of treatment in order to obtain a 50% improvement in their abnormal posture.

Thus, it can be extrapolated that 4-6 months of Mirror Image® Exercises would be required to obtain near 100% postural improvement.

Just as an orthodontist spends many months working to correct the mal-positions of the teeth with braces, it also takes time to correct abnormal posture. The minimum length of time for postural exercises is 9 weeks, however, it could likely take 6 months to a year before your posture is corrected and your spinal tissues can adapt. Many people will need to continue with their Mirror Image® Exercises for as long as they subject themselves to poor postural conditions such as in their work ergonomics or due to accidents and injuries.

The corrective exercises (termed Mirror Image®) must be performed consistently.  One  cannot expect to correct their posture by doing corrective exercises twice per week. We recommend that you do these exercises a minimum of 4 times per week and daily is optimum. You need to follow the doctor’s recommendation completely. If you do, you will have better results at the end of your treatment program.

When Will My Next Exam Be To Determine If I Am Corrected?

Research has been performed in order to determine how fast a patient’s posture will change and how many treatment sessions are required to obtain postural improvement.  Some patients will have a high percentage of correction after 9 weeks of treatment, while others must continue for an additional 9 weeks. It is wise to be consistent and continue until you have reached maximum improvement or are advised by your healthcare professional that you have reached a stable amount of correction. It is recommended that you complete follow-up postural examinations every 9 weeks in order to assess your progress and potentially change your type of exercises (isotonic, isometric, isokinetic, etc.); this will insure that you will reach your goal of normal posture and improved health in an efficient time period.