Devices for and methods of measuring, enhancing and facilitating correct spinal alignment

A spinal alignment measuring device for measuring, enhancing, and facilitating correct spinal alignment of the spine of a user, the spinal alignmentmeasuring device comprising:

• a straight Atlas bar having a top end, a bottom end, an inside surface, an outside surface, and a removable Atlas pad having an inside end, an outside end, and a length defined by a distance between the inside end and the outside end of the Atlas pad, wherein the outside end of the Atlas pad is perpendicularly placed length-wise at the top end of the Atlas bar on the inside surface of the Atlas bar;
• wherein the inside end of the Atlas pad is adapted to be placed in physical contact with the center of the Atlas vertebra of the user when the spinal alignment measuring device is in use by the user and whereby the length of the Atlas pad is indicative as a measurement of the misalignment of the user's spine and is selected to be equal to the distance between the center of the Atlas vertebra of the user and the inside surface of the Atlas bar where the Atlas pad is placed;
• and
• a straight Atlas sheath having a top end, a bottom end, an inside surface, an outside surface, and a sacrum pad placed at the bottom end of the Atlas sheath on the inside surface of the Atlas sheath;
• wherein the Atlas sheath is adapted to adjustably receive and hold the Atlas bar in place and wherein the sacrum pad is adapted to be placed on the spine of the user in alignment with the center of the sacrum of the user;
• wherein whenever a properly adjusted spinal alignment measuring device is placed or affixed along the center line of the user's spine, the inside end of the Atlas pad will be in physical contact with the center of the Atlas vertebra of the user, the inside surface of the Atlas sheath will be in physical contact with the center of the thoracic region of the user's spine, and the sacrum pad will be in physical contact with the center of the sacrum of the user;
• wherein these three physical contact points on the spine of the user may be used to measure the degree of the user's spinal misalignment and create proprioceptive awareness in the user that provides the user with an awareness of a proper posture alignment of the user's spine;
• wherein whenever the spine of the user is altered such that the Atlas pad is no longer in physical contact with the center of the Atlas vertebra, the user will receive instantaneous feedback from the properly adjusted spinal alignment measuring device that he is no longer maintaining proper spinal alignment thus allowing the user to adjust his posture to reacquire proper spinal alignment and to reactivate the user's proprioceptive awareness;
• and
• wherein whenever the spinal alignment of the user is altered after initial use of the spinal alignment measuring device by the user, the Atlas pad in place may be removed and replaced with a different, second Atlas pad with a modified length equal to a different, second measured distance between the center of the Atlas vertebra of the user's spine in the altered alignment and the inside surface of the Atlas bar.