Pain Free After 50 (or any age!)

Be Pain-Free After 50 with This Simple Biomechanics Checklist

By Ellen Comerford

Let’s be real—hitting 50 brings its fair share of physical complaints. In my 20s (many years ago), I was dealing with shoulder pain, back pain, and even plantar fasciitis. Today, as a wellness coach with over 40 years of experience, I’ve always championed natural healing, but back then when pain showed up, I wondered, “Is this just part of aging?” Thankfully, my path led me to learning advanced biomechanics—and what a difference it’s made. I honestly can’t imagine how my body would feel today had I not applied these simple, yet powerful, solutions.

Biomechanics might sound fancy, but it’s simply the science of how our bodies move. Many of us unknowingly hold ourselves in ways that create misalignments in our joints and spine, which leads to pain over time. But what if you could reset those misalignments with just a few quick adjustments throughout the day?

That’s exactly what I did—and it’s how I’ve helped countless clients find relief too.

The 7 Alignment Check-Ins: Your Natural Pain-Relief Plan

I call them the Seven Alignment Check-Ins. These small adjustments can be done anywhere, and they’ve been absolute game-changers for me and the people I work with. They’re simple, rooted in biomechanics, and can bring your body back into balance, easing pain from head to toe.

Here’s how to do it:

Point your toes straight ahead – It all starts from the ground up. Toes should point forward, not out to the sides like we’ve often been taught.
Keep your legs hip-distance apart – Make sure your feet are positioned directly under your hips, not too wide or too narrow. This ensures better alignment and helps build bone density in the hips.
Align your knees – Make sure your knees track straight over your toes. Pro tip: You can achieve this by putting more weight on the outside edge of your feet. This small shift helps take unnecessary strain off your joints.
Back up your pelvis – Stand tall and pull your pelvis back until it’s directly over your heels. (It loves creeping forward over the toes!) This one’s a game-changer for reducing lower back pain.
Drop the front of your ribs – Imagine your ribcage sliding down so that the front of your ribs aligns with the front of your pelvis. This is a key move for bringing everything back into balance.
Drop your chin – Lower your chin until it’s parallel with the floor. (Go ahead, make that double chin!) No more “turtling” with your neck pushing forward—this can relieve neck tension instantly.
Rotate your elbows – Finally, rotate your elbows so the inside crease faces forward. This opens up your shoulders and helps you maintain a tall, proud posture.

It might sound too simple to be true, but these adjustments really do make a world of difference. They allow your body to move as it was designed to, releasing tension, improving mobility, and—best of all—eliminating pain.

Why It Works

Throughout our lives, we’ve become far too comfortable with things like chairs and shoes, which, over time, have deformed our natural alignment. This misalignment then changes the way we move, and the way we move further deforms our alignment. It’s a vicious cycle!

But here’s the good news: These check-ins target the root cause of your pain instead of just masking the symptoms. When you stand, walk, and move with better alignment, you allow your joints and muscles to do what they’re meant to—without all the extra wear and tear. It’s like giving your body a much-needed reset.

After I started practicing these check-ins regularly, my pain disappeared in a matter of weeks. My clients have had similar results, whether they were dealing with neck tension, back pain, or even plantar fasciitis. It feels like magic, but it’s really just your body functioning as it was designed to.

More Than Pain Relief: Balance & Mobility

The benefits don’t stop with pain relief. These alignment tips also help improve balance and mobility—two essentials, especially as we age. With each adjustment, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to stand taller, move more freely, and feel lighter on your feet. It’s about empowering your body to support you in the ways it was always meant to.

A Wellness Revolution

This is why I love what I do—helping people reclaim their bodies and their lives. We don’t have to accept pain or discomfort as inevitable parts of aging. Our bodies are powerful and capable of healing themselves when we give them the tools to do so.

So, the next time you feel that familiar ache in your neck, lower back, or knees, take a moment to pause and check in with your alignment. These seven small adjustments might just be the natural “cure” you’ve been searching for—no prescriptions, no gimmicks, just the science of biomechanics working its magic.

Your body knows what it’s doing. Sometimes, it just needs a little nudge in the right direction.