Neck Pain

Nov 11 2023

Posture Corrector Brace: Will It Actually Fix Your Posture?

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We love gadgets here in the U.S. — especially ones that promise fast results.

The posture corrector brace is one of them. It straps over your shoulders and pulls them back, claiming to fix forward head posture and kyphosis.

But does it work?
Or is it just another overpromised shortcut?

Let’s break it down — scientifically and holistically.

What Is a Posture Corrector Brace Supposed to Do?

The posture brace is designed to pull your shoulders back, which is meant to correct rounded posture. The idea is simple: if your shoulders are more upright, your head and spine will follow.

But posture isn’t simple.

Forward head posture and kyphosis (over-rounded upper back) are complex conditions with deep structural, muscular, and neurological components. A strap won’t solve that — not by itself.

The Problem With “Just Pulling Back”

There’s a concept called the Law of 22 Degrees. Once your head shifts 22° forward relative to your shoulders, it changes the mechanics of your cervical spine. You don’t just bend forward — you slide forward — and over time, that becomes permanent.

That’s why you see older people stuck in that hunched-forward posture. They’ve crossed the threshold. The brace doesn’t reverse that.

And kyphosis?
That doesn’t start at the shoulders. It starts in the spine, involves the ribs, and pushes the shoulder blades outward and forward. That dominoes into tight pecs, weak rhomboids, overloaded lats, dysfunctional breathing, and nervous system strain.

Why Posture Braces Don’t Fix the Real Issue

A brace might remind you to stand up straight — but it doesn’t retrain your body. And that’s the problem.

Real posture correction requires:

Opening and hydrating joints (especially the spine)
Strengthening the right muscles in the right biomechanical positions
Reprogramming your brain’s “postural map” (a.k.a. motor engrams)
Restoring space in the rib cage and fascia
Training your feet, not just your upper body

None of that happens by pulling two straps.

What You Should Focus on Instead

Want better posture? Here’s what works — and why.

💧 Start with Tissue Health

Hydrate your fascia. Sleep well. If your tissue is dry or inflamed, exercise will just create more dysfunction.

🧠 Retrain Your Brain

You don’t need to “think about posture” all day. You need to educate your nervous system to hold better posture automatically.

That means:

ELDOA exercises for joint-specific spine awareness
Strengthening your rhomboids with your arms overhead
Training the levator scapulae to pull your head back
Stretching the pec minor, lats, and delts to open space
Re-aligning your gravity line: ear → shoulder → hip → knee → ankle

Most people think they’re standing straight… and they’re not. That’s because the brain’s postural map is distorted. But it’s fixable — if you train it intentionally.

🦶 Don’t Forget the Feet

Your feet send constant feedback to your brain about balance. If you don’t train them, your posture won’t hold — no matter what you do up top.

🫁 Free the Ribcage

Tight ribs lock your thoracic spine. That limits shoulder mobility and forces your neck forward. You need mobility in your costovertebral and sternocostal joints to breathe and move correctly.

So… Is a Posture Corrector Brace Worth It?

Short answer: No.

Even if it helps you remember to pull your shoulders back, it creates a false sense of progress. It bypasses the actual work — which means your dysfunction continues to build underneath.

And the longer you stay in that dysfunction, the harder it is to reverse.

The body adapts. If you keep pushing it into artificial alignment without education or support, you’re not solving anything. In fact, you might make it worse.

Train Your Body the Right Way

I get it. Gadgets are easy. Real training takes effort.

But your body is beautiful, adaptable, and designed to move well — if you give it the right input.

If you’re ready to do that — we can help.

Your Next Steps

You’ve got options, depending on what works best for you:

✅ Download the Free eBook:
“Get Out of Pain, Get Mobile & Get to the Life You Want”
Includes 4 core steps you can start right now. Instant download.

✅ Schedule a Call with Me:
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start training the right way, let’s talk. We’ll map out where you’re stuck, where you want to go, and I’ll show you what’s possible with a real, fascia-based approach.

Thanks for reading — and for caring about your body.
If this helped, share it with someone who needs it.
And if you’re still thinking about that brace… maybe leave it in the drawer. 😉

Building a foundation for a better life.

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Sep 22 2022

I Wish I Knew This About The Shoulders Earlier😫

Back in my college football days, I dealt with some seriously bad shoulders. Like most people, I went through the usual routine: physical therapy, a pile of standard exercises, and following every recommendation I got. I stuck with it for quite a while long enough to make some progress, but not enough to truly get my shoulders working right again.

Here’s what I wish I’d known earlier: The routine exercises everyone gives you are missing a critical piece. My PT kept having me do internal and external rotations to “fix” the issue, and while that got me part of the way, it didn’t restore full function. I could move my shoulders, but not comfortably or effectively for everyday life.

What most people—and a lot of professionals—forget is that real shoulder health doesn’t just come down to those basic moves. The core of the problem is almost always related to posture and the position of your shoulder blades and head. If your posture means your shoulders round forward, you can’t move your arms the way you need to. Your head drifts forward, your back stops supporting you, and your movements get limited.

The real solution? You have to build up the muscles between your shoulder blades like your rhomboids and lower trapezius to keep your shoulders pulled back and in proper position. Only then can you actually restore full, healthy movement.

Those standard exercises help a bit, but for real results, you have to target the right muscles. That means getting on the ground, learning the biomechanics of the scapula, and making sure your arms and back work together the way nature intended. When you get this right, you’ll instantly feel the difference: more freedom, more range, less pain.

If you’re ready to skip the years of trial and error and get right to the heart of healthy, pain-free shoulder movement, make sure you check out [Segmental Muscle Strengthening] for a step-by-step approach.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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Mar 05 2022

Neck Pain After Sleeping: 4 Reasons Why and What To Do About It

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Did you wake up this morning with a stiff neck—the kind where you can’t look over your shoulder or tilt your head comfortably? Neck pain after sleeping is extremely common, with several possible causes and, thankfully, multiple ways to address and prevent it.

Underlying Trauma
A history of trauma, like whiplash or a sports injury, can leave tissues tight, tender, or misaligned for years. Sometimes, the pain only shows up after sleeping when the body relaxes, cools down, and habitual tension “sets” into bad alignment. Not addressing acute issues right away can make future correction more difficult. Early, targeted mobility training and corrective exercise are key—even if the pain doesn’t seem urgent at first.
Postural or Overuse Strain
Desk work, smartphone use, and “tech neck” (forward head posture) retrain the body into poor alignment and chronic muscle tension. If you spend 8+ hours daily hunched forward, but only do an hour of corrective work (at best), the imbalance accumulates. This commonly leads to stiffness and pain after sleeping, when tissues contract and “remember” their imbalances. Address this by restoring shoulder, mid-back, and neck alignment; balance technology habits with posture- and flexibility-focused routines.
Pathology
Conditions like cervical radiculopathy, stenosis, or arthritis can all manifest overnight or in the morning as nerve signaling and disc pressures change with position. Persistent or worsening pain—especially with numbness, tingling, or weakness—deserves prompt professional assessment and a customized plan.
Sleep Position, Pillow, and Recovery
A poor sleep setup (too many pillows, sleeping on your stomach, or a lumpy mattress) disrupts healthy neck curves and strains muscles. Too little sleep or constant sleep interruption impairs tissue repair and healing, leading to more frequent or severe neck pain. The right pillow, good alignment, and consistent sleep hygiene are foundational for prevention.

What To Do About It

Start with gentle mobility: Hot showers, light stretching, and slow, easy neck movements can help “wake up” the tissues.
Consider alternating ice and heat to manage acute pain or inflammation.
Prioritize a balanced sleep setup: Neutral head/neck alignment, supportive pillows, and sleeping on your back or side (not your stomach).
Incorporate posture-focused, corrective, and mobility exercises throughout the day, not just after the pain sets in.
Seek professional help for persistent, severe, or radiating pain, especially if it comes with other symptoms.

[ELDOA: The Ultimate Spine And Joint Exercises]

Don’t let neck pain after sleep become your “normal.” Discover and address the true cause, and build sustainable habits to wake up pain-free and ready for life.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

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Aug 14 2020

ELDOA Stretching? Why ELDOA Is NOT a Stretch, But an Exercise

ELDOA stretching vs strengthening science

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ELDOA: Strengthening, Not Stretching Here’s the Science

Many associate ELDOA with flexibility or yoga-like stretching, but ELDOA is fundamentally different. Instead of creating passive length, it uses an extreme end-range muscular contraction—an intense, sustained effort to separate joint surfaces and strengthen the tissues surrounding them.

Biomechanics: Borelli’s Law and Extreme Range

ELDOA is based on a biomechanical rule described by Borelli: every muscle operates through five ranges (total, middle, internal, external, extreme). ELDOA targets the “extreme range,” where maximum tension pulls actin and myosin fibers far apart and all motor units are recruited. This builds endurance, resilience, and deep stability rather than relaxation or pampering.

Why ELDOA Is Different From Yoga or Passive Stretching

Yoga, stretching, and ELDOA may appear similar visually, but the neuromyofascial, biomechanical, and effort profiles are worlds apart. In yoga or typical stretches, relaxation and temporary lengthening occur. ELDOA demands deliberate, total muscular engagement—building global tension throughout the body and targeting specific joints for decompression and alignment.

Analogy: Building Space Under Pressure

Imagine trying to “build space” at a joint by push-pulling from opposite ends—abs, chest, neck pushing up; hips and legs pressing down. This feels like effort, not ease, similar to pulling a stuck drawer apart. With ELDOA, you consciously recruit every fiber, hold tension, and “educate” the tissues to handle force and maintain spacing even under stress.

The Anatomy of ELDOA for Spinal Health

In practice, ELDOA is most famous for its application to spinal segments. Through precise body positioning, joint decoaptation, and maximal tension, it decompresses vertebrae, hydrates discs, and aligns posture. The benefit comes not just from “lengthening” but from teaching the spine to organize, bear load, and resist compression in daily life.

ELDOA: The Ultimate Spine And Joint Exercise

Key Takeaways: Why ELDOA Changes Movement, Pain, and Posture

ELDOA is strength-focused, not relaxation-focused; it teaches the body to sustain effort in end-range.
The intense tension recruits all muscle fibers, remodels fascia, and creates space in the joints.
Benefits include pain relief, improved posture, hydration, and lifelong spinal resilience when used with a holistic program and proper mindset.

Find out more @

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Jul 31 2020

ELDOA Method To Get Rid Of Pain Between Your Shoulder Blades

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Why Sitting Leads To Shoulder Blade and Mid-Back Pain

Modern life forces most of us to sit for hours every day, often leading to lingering mid-back discomfort and pain between the shoulder blades. This pain is not just from immobility, but also from posture habits—forward head, tight pecs, rounding of the upper back, and stressed spinal muscles trying to support the head when it drifts in front of the shoulders.

The “Forward Head” Problem and Spinal Strain

When the head moves from its balanced position over the shoulders to a “forward” posture, the muscles across the back and down to the spine must work harder to hold it up. This chronic strain compresses spine segments and increases tension deep between the shoulder blades—leading to persistent discomfort and reduced mobility.

Science Behind ELDOA: More Than Stretching

The ELDOA method is often described as “stretching,” but it’s truly a powerful strengthening technique that increases space (decoaptation) between vertebrae, boosts blood flow, hydrates discs, and corrects posture. Scientific research confirms the ELDOA method improves pain, range of motion, proprioception, and postural awareness by creating tension specifically at the affected spinal level.

Analogy: Re-Educating Posture Like a Spring

Imagine your spine like a spring—when you sit too long, the coils compress and lose flexibility. ELDOA helps “open up” these coils, restoring natural spacing, and re-educating key muscles (between the shoulder blades and neck) for pain relief and upright posture. Instead of just “stretching” the muscle, you activate global tension with targeted effort and align the spine for true decompression.

How to Use ELDOA to Relieve Shoulder Blade Pain

To break free from postural pain, the ELDOA exercise for the T8-T9 region (middle of the back) is one of the most effective tools. The technique involves a precise warm-up to mentally and physically connect with the mid-back and teach tall, upright posture. It’s not about pampering relaxation; it’s technical, progressive, and teaches the body to stay tall and decompress strain—especially when practiced regularly as part of a holistic routine.

ELDOA: The Ultimate Spine And Joint Exercises

Key Takeaways for Pain Relief and Postural Reset

Sitting causes a cascade of muscle tension and spinal compressive strain.
ELDOA creates space, improves strength and posture, and re-educates muscles at the problem area.
Sustainable relief comes from combining scientific, segmental strengthening and posture correction—not just “moving more,” but moving smarter.

Find out more @

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Sep 17 2016

How ELDOA’s Increase Spinal Mobility And Get Rid Of Neck And Shoulder Pain

Why Thoracic Spine Mobility Is Key for Neck and Shoulder Health

Many people struggle with rounded shoulders, difficulty with good posture, and recurring pain during movement. The underlying culprit is often poor thoracic spine mobility—an issue that leads to compensatory stress in the lower back and shoulders and amplifies neck, shoulder, and rotator cuff pain.

ELDOA Method—Science Behind Improved Mobility and Pain Relief

What are ELDOA Exercises?

ELDOA (“Etirements Longitudinaux avec Decoaptation Osteo-Articulaire”) are unique, self-applied postural exercises developed by Guy Voyer, DO. Each posture is designed to create targeted decompression in a specific spinal joint, increasing space, rehydrating discs, reducing pressure, and restoring joint alignment.

Mobility, Alignment, and Pain—How It All Links Together

The thoracic spine is crucial for rotation, flexion, extension, and deep breathing.
ELDOA postures train mobility while stabilizing areas that need protection—preventing the lower back and scapula from compensating for lost motion.
Mobilizing the thoracic spine properly prevents excessive lumbar spine movement, which is built for stability—not big rotations or repeated bending.
Benefits include improved posture, relief from disc compression, increased lung volume, healthier shoulders, and overall freedom of movement.

ELDOA for Neck and Shoulder Pain—What the Research Shows

Techniques and Results

ELDOA postures for the cervical and thoracic spine address neck pain, tension, and instability, while also targeting scapular health for shoulder mobility and pain reduction.
Correct use of thoracic mobility (with ELDOAs) protects both the spine’s architecture and shoulder mechanics—helping clients avoid hypermobility, ligament laxity, and chronic compensation pain.
Holding ELDOA postures for 1 minute daily can deliver measurable improvement in pain, flexibility, and strength for most joints in the upper back and neck.

Practice, Posture, and Progress for Santa Fe

The true power of ELDOA is conscious, precise mobility: straightening and lengthening the spine, deepening breath, and rolling the shoulders back—without sacrificing lumbar or shoulder stability. By focusing on posture while developing spinal mobility, residents of Santa Fe can minimize kyphosis, shoulder discomfort, and persistent neck pain.

Your “Do” list:

Use ELDOA postures for thoracic extension and alignment
Deepen your breath with rib expansion and upright posture
Combine mobility training with core stability exercises

Your “Don’t” list:

Avoid aggressive, compensatory lumbar twisting
Don’t let increased thoracic mobility contribute to daily posture rounding
Don’t skip core and scapular stability drills to support gains from ELDOA

Discover targeted mobility, flexibility, and postural solutions:
ELDOA: The Ultimate Spine And Joint Exercises

Find out more @

Mar 19 2015

Personal Training Success Story: Liz Cale

Liz’s Story—Overcoming Daily Pain, Finding Lasting Fitness

When Liz Cale started group classes at SolCore Fitness, she was no stranger to pain—facing neck, thoracic, and daily discomfort to the point she needed a standing desk. As President and COO of Santa Fe Properties, her job was counterproductive to her physical needs, and she’d already tried other trainers and weekly chiropractic visits, even considering neck surgery.

Those first classes were tough, but Liz stuck with it, steadily making real progress. Today, she’s not only avoided surgery—she rarely needs chiropractic care, has toned up, lost inches, and even wowed former clients with her transformation.

Q & A: Liz’s Journey in Her Words

What made you decide you wanted/needed to start a fitness program?
I had a lot of pain in my neck, thoracic (trunk). It got to the point where I used a standing desk at my office because sitting was too painful.

What exercises or fitness programs had you tried before?
I had a membership at Santa Fe Sport and Medicine and was working with a trainer. I was also seeing a chiropractor once a week to keep out of pain. But the workouts that I was doing were not what I needed—they were downright dangerous for where I was. When I started the classes, I stopped that to focus on getting better.

What results have you achieved since starting your program and are proud of?
I was able to not have another surgery and stopped having to see the chiropractor. And even though this was not my main goal, I lost inches and really toned my body. It felt pretty good when a past client barely recognized me in a group setting because of the change.

Do you have a favorite exercise? Least? What do you like or don’t like about them?
The wall (L5-S1) is by far my favorite stretch because it feels so good. The Frogs (series of inner thigh abductor myofascial stretches) are the most challenging—not because I dislike them, but because they’re tough for me.

What are some challenges or goals you are currently working on?
Creating more space in my thoracic is a big goal—my job makes this hard. Eating regular meals has also been a challenge, and I need to make it a priority.

What advice would you give to the other SolCore Fitness members?
Have a good mindset. You can’t accomplish any goal without it. If you have a good mindset, it gets you through the hard times.

What would you say to someone on the fence about joining our program?
Try it! But if you do, have a good mindset and be open about it.

Ready to transform pain into progress?
Learn more about:
Group Exercise Classes
https://www.solcorefitness.com/group-exercise-classes

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