Whole Woman Village Forum

Hi everyone,

I am a 35-year-old electrical engineer investigating the biomechanical effects of shoes on degenerative diseases and other health problems. During the last century, much was written about the importance of posture in health, yet one fact was practically never mentioned: It is impossible to have good posture or a natural gait when wearing shoes.

There are many reasons that shoes influence degenerative conditions such as prolapse. For example, the elevated heel of modern shoes tilts the pelvis such that the organs, both abdominal and pelvic, tend to sag. Even in a flat-heeled pair, compression of the toes forces the feet into a "fallen arch" posture, which produces a waddling or shuffling gait that likewise affects the position of the pelvis. Stiff soles reduce range of motion of the feet, which must reduce range of motion at every other joint throughout the body, leaving it susceptible to any additional stressful demand--no matter how minor it may seem; a pregnancy is just one type of stressful demand that could cause symptoms for a habitual shoe-wearer.

Chiropodist Dr. Simon J. Wikler pioneered efforts to understand the influences of shoes in the 1950's, but his work was neglected during the subsequent drug- and diet-based approaches to medicine. However, the prolific footwear historian and podiatrist Dr. William A. Rossi clearly demonstrated throughout his publications that shoes influence the posture of the human body. Therefore, using the posture-based approaches to medicine of the distinguished orthopedist Dr. Joel E. Goldthwait, I have expanded Dr. Wikler's insightful work to include a variety of illnesses and conditions whose causes remain unknown. You may find my thesis regarding shoes and disease on the Internet at:

http://www.shoebusters.com

Thank you very much for considering my novel approach.

James Semmel
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Previous year's thread: http://www.wholewoman.com/forum/node/108

Christine, Where do you get your cushions that you sit on? Do you make them yourself or is there a good place to buy them? Also, about what size is the bench/stool or whatever you call it that you put the cushion on? I'm trying to find something that will work in my house with all of my family who do NOT want to just sit on the floor. :)

Also, are men & boys supposed to sit on the floor or cushions too?

Thanks!

Vicki

hi, thought i'd check stuff out on the net as i'm at the docs tommorrow as i think ive got a prolapse. i'm gutted as i'm only 30 and am not yet with a long term partner.just wondered if any one had any advice or experiences they would like to share with me xxx

Hi, and I am sorry,I posted to the wrong forum Tuesday. This is Judy again and I saw my doctor today and he says that I don't have a prolapse again but instead what is called an elongated cervix and that when he did my surgery he didn't want to pull everything up too tight. He examined me and says he thinks everything will be o.k. but I am still speculating. I can see my cervix right at the entrance to my vagina but only in the last few days, and I am about three and a half weeks after surgery. Why wouldn't it have been that way from day one after surgery and believe me I looked and there wasn't anything there.

Hi all. I've been working on the posture stuff though I don't have the video or book - YET! I'm trying to wait for the new stuff to come out- should I or should I buy what I can right now?

But with this posture work I've been noticing/wondering something.
#1- when I sit to play the piano I seem to be in the exact posture, and on a wide wooden bench!, that Christine suggests. Anyone else play piano and notice this? If not, would the piano posture help others understand how to hold their bodies? And is it possible to arch your back too much?

#2- horse back riders- are there any out there? I ride bareback almost exclusively but I'll start picking up a saddle again one of these days. Now when I ride bareback I am always tucking my butt to protect my front from any jarring movements, which in turn causes me to slouch my shoulders forward to gain the balance and comfort for long rides. This position does give me great balance with the long legs that a bareback rider needs. At least at a walk- which I rarely do unless I'm riding with others or am worn out from high speeds. But this tucking postition is exactly what the wholewoman posture says NOT to do. I've been walking around tucked and sucked in and chest out- you know military/pilates style for years. And having sharp pains all through my lower abdomen. Now when I fall back into that posture I know it because those pains are there immediately. It totally reminds me to get back into the wholewoman posture!! But if I use the wholewoman posture bareback my front is totally exposed to the horse. The tissues are too soft down there to stay in that posture. So does anyone have any idea what I should do? Is the tucking posture okay for riding? Or am I worsening my prolapse?

Is this book still available anyway? I couldn't find it on the site. Thanks

I finally have been able to sit down and watch the video that Christine has. It's wonderful and so helpful for understanding some of this. Now I have to figure out how to buy something to sit on! LOL! Anyway, I have a question about clothing....

You said to wear nothing tight around your waist, but instead wear lower slung pants and skirts. What about skirts that don't have a tight waistband, but still sit at the waist. I normally wear skirts that I've made and I simply use a piece of grosgrain ribbon or a facing for the waist. Is this okay, as long as they aren't tight? I'm assuming also that jeans with a normal waistband would definitely be out? Thanks for anymore insight you can give me on the clothing. : )

Is this a good exercise or bad? I LOVE riding my bike! I have a different kind of saddle on it that I've just started using. It doesn't have the front part like a normal seat that hurts everything. Instead it is sort of like two parts that just fit right on your buns. Very hard to explain! Anyway, Christine, or others, what has been your experience with cycling and prolapse?

Thanks!

Vicki in Missouri

I wanted to ask you some questions. Would you contact me so that I can email you?

Marie

I've seen some of you talking about Christine's exercises. Where do I find these?