Having built a respected following in the specific area of spine therapy, Noralign Functional Rehabilitation Centre (Noralign) specialises in providing a holistic and non-surgical approach in order for patients to regain the strength, confidence, and freedom of movement they deserve.

Founder, Nora Sträter sadly passed away in June last year – but it was her husband, Warren Vincent’s “impulse emotional decision” to continue the work that had been her passion during the 15 years they were together. We speak to Warren to learn more about the incredible legacy of Nora and how it lives on through the company.

“The fact that 80% of our patients are young people and children suffering with spinal disorders, such as scoliosis was a big part of the drive to continue with the practice, but after speaking with many of the patients and parents, it became all the more obvious that there was much more to Nora than many of us; myself included knew nor have, could commit, and passion. So, building a lasting legacy for Nora for drive on delivering the clinical excellence to the patient community – that was her core value – became the balancing motivation for where we are today and where we will be going forward.” -Warren Vincent

Founded by Nora Sträter and based in the UAE, Noralign Functional Rehabilitation Centre provides a range of customised rehabilitation treatments tailored to individuals who are suffering with physical pain, its services including functional rehabilitation, manual therapies, postural alignment, spinal therapy, and micro/nutrient consultations. The non-surgical techniques offered combine spinal mobilisation movements and breathing techniques to improve muscular alignment, balance, strength, flexibility, and postural aesthetics.

“At Noralign, we understand every individual, and everybody is different. Whether you’re an adult, child, professional athlete, or senior, we work one-on-one with you to analyse and rationalise every case from a holistic perspective. Our combined knowledge is key in ensuring we can support and manage your condition with the right action plan.” -Warren Vincent

Depending on the patient’s condition, the Noralign team incorporate several methods in the patient’s treatment programme, including the Schroth Method, with Warren asserting how essential it is for practitioners to know and understand the anatomy of a human in order to deliver such treatments.

“Our philosophy is to understand the root cause of the patient’s circumstances and to treat the cause, rather than just the symptoms,” he states. “If you are in pain, we address this first. We focus on pain management through physiotherapy techniques, including manual therapy, soft tissue therapy, mobilisations, hooking, and tapping. Once the pain is reduced, the focus will be on activating your muscles, joints, and spine.”

Nora’s focus was always firmly on the patient. Working to understand the root cause of their pain, she’d also educate them on the best treatment for pain relief and injury prevention. She would often say that the patients with the best results were those that genuinely owned and understood their unique circumstances.

Nora was the product of her own experiences from a formative age, up to and including her journey as a clinician. Her education inspired her interest and passion in movement and the many ways in which the body functioned and could be applied in sport, dance, and any other form of expressive movement. Nora always took a holistic approach, knowing from self-reflection that many of the body’s medical and physical challenges were often the result of poorly informed or accidental lifestyle choices.

To this end, Noralign became focused on helping patients take better control of their lives, helping them to recover or improving their abilities and removing pain and discomfort. “Treating the cause and not just the symptoms typically led to better patient understanding,” Warren continues. “It also led to a stronger commitment in remaining compliant with the treatment prescription, faster and often permanent improvements, plus a pain-free life.”

“Nora was a talented clinician who had a special way of connecting with her patients. I’m glad that Nora was able to help me with my scoliosis and back pain. She had a real gift for understanding her patients’ needs and helping them find relief.” -Patient of Nora

Ultimately, the determination to see great success, maintaining its strong reputation for excellence in Nora’s honour. In the last quarter of 2023, Noralign added yet more services to its repertoire, incorporating paediatric physiotherapy, along with hand or occupational therapy, and it continues to help enhance the knowledge of its patients through specialist courses as well.

“Our long-term strategy is to build on the orthopaedic platform,” Warren comments, speaking of his future plans for the clinic. “The aim was always to build a true Centre of Excellence for Orthopaedics and musculoskeletal medicine.”

With orthopaedics and the spine at its core, Noralign has already added complimentary treatment areas such as high frequency gut biome analysis that produces results with speed, accuracy, and