Norman Cousins, American political journalist and author, once said that: “Death is not the greatest loss in life – the greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” All too often we only realise what had “died” when we look back on our younger years. A good posture can preserve many of the qualities of youth lacking in later years, and massage therapy can help.
According to a study, approximately 56% of US teens’ suffer from deformed spines. The cause? Poor posture. And although the statistic is based on an American target group, it isn’t unrealistic to imagine the same for the United Kingdom. Naturally, very few teens, deformed spine or not, won’t notice the effect of their poor posture until they’re much older.
Luckily a branch of massage therapy, called postural assessment, can help detect postural problems and provide ways to correct it.
Postural assessment examines how your muscles affect your body type. It includes suggestions on exercises and massage therapy techniques which will improve posture, and therefore movement and general wellbeing. The benefits of actively maintaining a good posture are far more appealing than the ostensible relaxation gained from slouching in a chair…
1. Boost your confidence
A good posture sends signals to the brain that helps boost your confidence. This obviously improves your interaction with others, and helps you feel better about yourself.
2. Breathe better
Slouching results in less room for the lungs to expand, which means less oxygen enters the body. A good posture increases the capacity of the lungs, resulting in more air (and therefore oxygen) entering the body.
3. Think better, clearer
The brain requires a significant amount of oxygen to function. Since a good posture increases the intake of oxygen into the body, it directly increases your ability to concentrate and promotes clear thinking.
4. Be more attractive
A good posture has instinctive appeal, communicating attraction and a willingness to mate. Too animalistic? Perhaps, but deep down we’re all fuelled by the same instinctive drives.
7. Keep your mobility
Poor posture puts pressure on the joints which, over time, can cause them to wear down abnormally. This could eventually result in arthritis. A good posture, in turn, ensures that the stress on joints are spread more evenly, thereby improving their use and movement for years to come.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mum on your feet all day, or sitting in front of a computer, a good posture essentially boosts your vitality and keep you going for years to come.
Give our London massage therapy studio a call to get your postural assessment today – you’ll be glad you did in the years to come.