03/10/2026
Why do I look at bilateral weight differential?
Knowing where your body parts are in space and how to coordinate them into efficient movements is one feature of what is often simply referred to as "brain-body-awareness".
Brain-body-awareness is a phenomenon that is most closely traced to the function of the spinal cord at the level of the C1-C2 vertebrae in the top of the neck.
The research (referenced below) shows that the less spinal injuries someone has sustained, the less side-to-side weight differential they will exhibit.
Better-balanced weight carriage over time means less wear and tear in the hips and knees, and is associated with less degenerative changes in the lower spine.
A cohort study conducted by Pollard & Ward in 1998 showed that the best way to free up restrictions in the Sacrum-Ilium joint (S.I. Joint) of the pelvis is NOT by stretching or "cracking" the pelvis or lower back by crossing one leg over the other and using a high-velocity thrust - but instead, through applying a specific touch at the top of the spine.
Every day in our office we see immediate changes in the mobility of the S.I. joint just by touching the side of the neck.
If this seems too easy, type "SHOW ME" in the comments.
Pollard & Ward, Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics - The Effect of Cervical or Sacroiliac Manipulation on Hip Flexion Range of Motion (1998;21(9))
D. Seemann, Upper Cervical Monograph - A Comparison of Weight Differential Between a Group That Had a History of Spinal Problems or Had Been Under Care and a Group That Had Neither a History of Spinal Problems nor Been Under Care (1991; 5(2);17-19