There’s an ELDOA for that
A brief ELDOA history from a student’s point of view.
ELDOA is just one therapeutic modality created by GUY Voyer, DO, osteopath, educator and researcher. Dr. Voyer spent years studying the effects of his ELDOA postures on clients in his hometown of Marseilles. He is considered the world’s foremost expert on the subject of fascia, the web of tissues that surrounds and connects the entire body.
In 2013, by fate, I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was invited by a colleague to a seminar at the Hotel Anatole Dallas, where I was one of 100 people to see Dr. Voyer in America. I sat wide-eyed with other fitness professionals and doctors as he presented his work on how to create mobility and “space” in the joints of the body via the ELDOA postures….in an impossibly thick but charming French accent. It was a mind-blowing 5-day crash course that is fortunately now arranged into a curriculum that takes over 5+ years to complete. Well, we can’t say for sure because as of this date the ELDOA curriculum is still being written.
I’m humbled to be among the first 80 students to actually receive a certification for levels 1-4 by GUY Voyer himself. The educational process is truly on another level, both in terms of complexity and uniqueness. The anatomy training is comprehensive because, as we discover, it is impossible to isolate one body part in terms of “treating” a symptom. We must look at the interconnectivity of the fascia as it affects the whole body down to the internal organs—heart, lungs, diaphragm, pelvic organs, etc.
In each ELDOA posture, we are creating tension upwards via a fascial chain, and an opposing force downwards via a fascial chain, in order to “open” a joint. Naturally, this action has an effect on the body as a whole.
What’s the big deal about opening joints? Well, if you have ever experienced back pain, you instinctively know the answer. Joints that are compressed due to gravity and life stressors have a way of pinching nerves, squashing spinal discs, inhibiting the function of organs, and generally making us feel tired, achy, or in excruciating pain.
Dr. Voyer’s work was born out of his own mission to solve the “pain of the world”, back pain, which is so prevalant that we Americans spend $50 billion annually to treat it. GUY’s credo is found on the lips and social media pages of all of his students. You are your own best therapist.
“You are your own best therapist.”
I interpret this to mean that when we are presented with a physical challenge, we can (and should!) seek help of a professional, however it is ultimately up to us to maintain our own health. The ELDOA gives us the specific tools and the opportunity to do so.
Occasionally in GUY’s classroom a student will raise his hand and ask, “What is the solution for my patient’s problem with (xyz).” He thoughtfully sips his espresso or champagne (depending on time of the day), then simply answers “There’s an ELDOA for that.”
Hi, I’m Stephanie Vanderbeck, your Spine Health Guide.
I’m a Certified Pilates Instructor and ELDOA Practitioner.
My mission is to coach you to be resilient in the face of back pain, to be your own best therapist, and to get moving towards a fit and fearless life.
For more on my services, visit my site.