Posture Self-Test: Is Your Body Out of Balance?
There are two ways to check your balance at home. Start with four simple self-tests you can do today — no equipment, a few minutes. And soon you'll be able to go further: a guided photo check that draws your alignment lines right on your photos and shows your tilts in numbers.
Please note
These self-tests give you a rough idea of how balanced your body is right now — they are a starting point, not a diagnosis. A photo or a mirror can't show everything: how a joint actually moves, how the tissue feels, and how your body compensates can only be checked by a specialist's hands during an in-person assessment. So please don't worry if your results look uneven, and don't treat them as final. If something feels off, come in — we'll measure it properly.
At home · no equipment
4 Simple Self-Tests
A tilted pelvis rarely announces itself — it hides in small habits: shifting from foot to foot in a queue, one shoe wearing out faster, a belt that sits crooked. These four checks help you notice what your body has been compensating for.
The Heel Check
Lie on a firm, flat surface, legs straight and close together. Your helper gently holds your ankles and compares your heels: if one clearly reaches further than the other, one side of your pelvis may be sitting higher.
The Wall Check
Stand with your back against a wall — heels, buttocks and shoulder blades touching — exactly as you normally stand; don't force a 'perfect' posture. Your helper checks two things: are your shoulders level, and does your head tilt to one side?
The Mirror Check
Stand before a full-length mirror, palms flat on the bony edges of your pelvis. Are your hands level, or is one clearly higher? Small asymmetries are normal — you're looking for an obvious difference.
The Standing Check
Watch yourself for a day or two: shifting from foot to foot in line, sitting on one tucked-under foot, one shoe sole wearing down faster. These everyday habits show how your body keeps searching for balance.
Read the full guide — all four tests explained, step by step →
Coming soon
The Photo Posture Check
The manual checks rely on feel. The photo check measures: take two photos — one from the front, one from the side — and it draws your shoulder, pelvis and head lines on the photos and shows the tilts in numbers, not guesses. We're finishing it now; the photo guide below is already here, so you'll be ready the day it opens.
Take two photos
One from the front, one from the side. The photo guide below shows exactly how to stand, where to put the phone and what to wear.
We draw your lines
The check reads the photos on the spot and draws your shoulder, pelvis and head alignment lines right on the images.
See it in numbers
Your tilts in plain numbers with a short, honest summary. And if a photo isn't clear enough to read, the check says so instead of guessing.
Decide your next step
Bring your result to a visit and we'll check it by hand — or simply keep it as your starting point and re-check in a few months.
How to Take Your Photos
Good photos are half the result — most unclear readings come from the photo, not the body. Follow these steps when the check opens (they're also how we assess posture in the clinic).
Video guide: How to take your photos
A short walkthrough — where to stand, where to put the phone, what to wear — is being filmed now and will appear here before the photo check opens.
Before You Start
- Fitted clothes — your body's lines have to stay visible
- Bare feet
- Long hair tied back, so your ear stays visible
- Good, even light
- Phone at hip height, about 3 steps away
- Your whole body in the frame
Photo 1 — Front
Stand straight and relaxed, feet parallel, arms by your sides. Look at the camera and use the 10-second timer, so you're not holding the phone.
Photo 2 — Side
Turn 90°. The same relaxed stance, feet parallel — and keep your ear uncovered: it anchors the head reading.
Video — For a Fuller Picture
Walk naturally for 10 seconds, your whole body in the frame. An optional extra step that gives a fuller picture of how you move — the photos remain the core of the check.
Your photos are analysed in memory only and are never saved, stored or shared.
Can't wait for the photo check? A visit is the same assessment, done by hand — 45 minutes, and you leave with a clear picture of what your body is compensating for.
These self-tests are general information to help you notice how your body feels and moves. They are not a diagnosis and do not replace an in-person assessment or medical advice. Osteopathy is a complementary manual practice and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. If you have pain or a medical concern, please consult your healthcare provider.