Understanding Upper Cervical Instability with Taylor Goldberg

Zebra Talks: Living Your Best Bendy Life

If you have a bendy neck, this one's for you!

For this week's episode of Zebra Talks, Libby has a fascinating conversation with Taylor Goldberg, a chiropractor turned virtual hypermobility coach. Taylor shares a bit about her personal journey with hypermobility and her shift to a virtual coaching model, and then helps us understand all things upper cervical instability (UCI), including its causes, symptoms, diagnostic challenges, and treatment options. UCI affects a whole lot of people with hypermobility, but good news: the most severe cases requiring surgery are quite rare even among us bendy types. Whew!

Taylor unpacks a lot of definitions such as distinguishing between hypermobility and instability (no, they're not the same thing!). She also covers lots of good info about safe exercise practices, and emphasizes why it's so important to avoid certain chiropractic adjustments. The episode also touches on yoga practices for hypermobile individuals and the significance of conservative care in managing UCI.
Highlights of this episode include:
00:00 Introduction to Zebra Talks
00:35 Meet Taylor Goldberg: Chiropractor to Hypermobility Coach
01:49 Taylor's Personal Journey with Hypermobility
03:40 Understanding Hypermobility and Instability
06:11 Upper Cervical Instability: Symptoms and Diagnosis
14:42 Managing Upper Cervical Instability
19:01 Activities to Avoid and Chiropractic Cautions
24:12 Challenges in Chiropractic and PT Training
25:23 The Need for Comprehensive Connective Tissue Education
27:02 Creating Realistic Expectations in Recovery
27:49 Step-by-Step Recovery Process
29:39 Exercise Categories and Proprioception
33:46 Managing Upper Cervical Instability
35:01 Yoga and Hypermobility
39:11 Resources and Offerings for Hypermobility
41:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts