Any imbalance in the body - no matter what the cause - is imprinted as change in the internal structure and has a long-range and cumulative effect. The body may attempt to return to its original state but without assistance it remains misaligned. For example, when someone sprains an ankle it is only natural to protect it by keeping as much weight as possible off the injured ankle and compensating with the other ankle by shifting as much weight as possible to the uninjured side of the body. This natural response to the injury changes the entire body's relationship to the gravitational field, and the neuromuscular system is repatterned as part of this process.

By patterning I mean that patterns of neural activity, blood and lymph flow, and muscular contraction are altered. When the ankle heals and pain subsides, the person assumes that he/she is returning to normal movement and function; however, this is not the case. That new pattern created from the shift of weight has been recorded in the internal structure and remains there as part of that person's movement and holding pattern, and remnants of the injury will be maintained in the structure and function indefinitely. Although I have used a sprained ankle as an example, this change in the inner system and repatterning can take place from something as simple as the habit of carrying a heavy bag on the same shoulder or holding the telephone receiver between one's shoulder and ear. In order to remain upright the entire body has to compensate and some muscles are forced to shorten. When a muscle is chronically shortened it loses its ability to relax which then results in a constant state of tension. When these changes and patterns occur, the connective tissue needs assistance in order to return to its normal, healthy state. Structural lntegration is of particularly great benefit at this point.