Posture and Massage Therapy

Your posture is a reflection of many different things - from your physical habits as well as your emotional and stress patterns.

Your posture is more than just sitting up straight or using correct posture when sitting all day at the computer (or doing whatever it is that you do most.) You ability to sit up straight has more to do with the tension in your muscles. Muscle Tension causes the muscles to be weak because the tension actually is making the fibers in your muscles stick together so the overall ability for the muscle to contract is reduced.

When someone instructs you to sit properly at the computer or stand up straight, you may not be able to because of the tension that is restricting your posture.

And just like the tires on your car need to be aligned, so does your body. When your posture is out of alignment it causes excess wear and tear on some part of your body - usually a joint such as the hip or foot (causing hip or foot pain).

Working to release the tension in the muscles requires establishing new patterns of movement after a bodywork session. Learning to become aware of your body occurs during massage sessions. As your muscles are touched and worked on in whatever manner, the tension is released and a new awareness can occur. After a bodywork session it is always good to notice how different you feel - how your feet touch the floor, how your arms swing more freely when you walk, how you feel lighter and more grounded.

Pain is often caused as a result of misalignments in posture. You are more likely to become injured when participating in sports when your posture is out of alignment. Even if you are in a car accident or fall, the resulting injuries are influence by your alignment.

Participating in regular activities such as working out, yoga, running or some sports activity will increase the wear and tear on the joints and muscles involved when you start these activities with a higher state of tension in your body or when your body is out of alignment.

Sitting at desks all day in front of computers has also created poor habits in posture resulting in an increase of problems related to work and stress. Sitting for long periods working on projects without being aware of the tension in your body can create even more tension problems.

Working with the posture of the body often shows the patterns of stress and resulting injuries. My 8 years of training in Structural Integration (postural alignment techniques) as well as my 20 years of experience overall in the massage profession are combined to create a unique blend of massage treatments to address and work with chronic pain patterns and injuries that result from poor posture.

See also bodymechanics for massage therapists.

Healthy Computing.