Posture

Posture is the way we carry our body. On a person with good posture, a line can be drawn along the side of the body, starting at the ear, going through the shoulder joint, hip joint, knee joint, and ending just in front of the ankle. If something is out of line, individuals could suffer from poor posture and a number of other health issues. Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) can get you back in line and prevent debilitating pain from taking hold.

Common Causes:

Head-forward posture is the most common cause. Think about it: The average head weighs 10 pounds. For every inch that your head moves forward, out of proper alignment, gravity adds an additional 10 pounds. That is a lot of strain on your over-worked neck muscles.

Other causes for poor posture include: low back sway, slouching, high-heel shoes, flat feet, fallen arches, scoliosis, a muscle imbalance, a previous injury, pregnancy, muscle weakness, asthma, and other respiratory problems.

Signs and Symptoms of Poor Posture:

Visible: rounded or uneven shoulder slouching, forward or tilted head, extended stomach, hyper-extended knees, scoliosis, upper back "hump", rotated or un-level hips, feet angled inwards or outwards, knocked knees or bow-legged.

Physical: headache, backache, muscle fatigue, painful joints, poor gait, decreased range of motion, increased tension, muscle imbalance, sleep disturbances or arthritis.

Treatment:

RMTs develop unique treatment programs depending on the posture problems. Most treatments include a combination of massage therapy, posture correction, therapeutic exercises, hydrotherapy and self-awareness training to help patients improve posture in all aspects of their lives.

Benefits:

People with good posture enjoy a balanced body, a wider range of motion, fuller breaths and feel less pain and tension. After treatments, massage therapy patients generally look and feel better.

Information courtesy of the Massage Therapists' Association of BC