Part of our role as massage therapists is to provide you with a framework for self-improvement.
Whilst on-going repeat business is great from our point of view, we prefer that you call us for a massage because you want to and not because you have to!
Poor posture is one of the most frequent causes of problems requiring our services. This article gives a few simple exercises that can be done in one minute that can begin to address the issue of poor posture.
Sixty seconds to Improved Posture 1.
Stand with your feet about hip width apart - yours knees should be relaxed but not locked
Having your feet at hip-width apart improves balance and better aligns the hips, knees and feet.
2.
Bring your navel towards your spine to tighten the abdominal muscles (as if you are trying to put on a tight pair of jeans).
3.
Imagine there is a string connecting your breastbone to the ceiling and lift your rib cage up. Elongate your midsection by pulling your rib cage away from the hips.
This simple move makes a most significant impact on your appearance. It decreases the pressure on the abdomen and directly reduces your waist measurement by an inch or more! If your upper back is rounded this move can help straighten it so that your lungs have more room for deeper breathing. Plus this move realigns your head over your shoulders.
4.
Stretch the top of your head towards the ceiling as if you were being pulled up by a string.
5.
Unround your shoulders. Rotate your arms until your thumbs are in a position as though you are hitching a lift. Press the shoulders down and away from your ears whilst pulling the shoulder blades towards your spine. Then relax your arms without letting your shoulders roll forward. In this position, your palms should be facing your thighs with the thumbs pointing straight ahead.
6.
Maintain the position for a few moments and try to breath normally, relax into it. Give yourself a bit of a shake and walk around and go through the steps again.
Now you know what good posture feels like. The more you practice this, the more comfortable and natural it will feel. However, if you've had poor posture for years, your muscles won't be able to keep properly aligned unless you think about your posture all day long.
