In essence, Freedom to Move describes what goes wrong in the spine and what to do about it. It integrates the applicable contemporary neuroscience around spinal movement and pain with the clinical evidence and understanding gained from the author’s enquiring practice, and her exploration of various movement approaches and their contribution – or otherwise, to spinal well-being.

It examines the relationship between healthy torso structure and functional control and describes and explains the author’s model of spinal dysfunction – the remediation of which forms the basis of the author’s model of care for the spine, The Key Approach®.

The book’s main focus is on a practical, therapeutic exercise/movement approach that addresses the common movement faults and dysfunctions observed in people with spinal pain and stiffness.

In particular, the Fundamental Patterns of control are introduced as important, innate ‘key’ movements that naturally provide the sound foundations necessary for a healthy spine – but which have commonly been ‘lost’ in the movement repertoire of people with spinal pain syndromes.

These are re-established and reincorporated into various poses, movements, and stretches by way of specifically directed mindful movement explorations. The client is helped to regain more optimal function and move out of pain – with more freedom.

The approach is applicable within all industry models of teaching therapeutic movement: in the rehabilitation of spinal pain within physiotherapy, Pilates, and Yoga; and in the fitness industry, for injury prevention, health promotion, and optimizing spinal health in exercise programs in general.