| Issue: # 2 | July/2007 |
This issue of Relax and Unwind focuses on posture - why it's important and how to improve yours. Poor posture means many things: muscle tightness, muscle weakness, or even joint dysfunction. It could also have emotional and spiritual implications. We all know people who walk around slouching, looking down all the time. They look sad, and they usually feel depressed.
The opposite is also true. A person with good posture radiates life and health. His body can do what he wants it to do. He tends to look up at the sky, not down on the ground, and feels like the whole world is his for the taking.
Good posture makes you feel great and open to life.
Remember, you CAN be healthier. Feel Better and Be Happy...
Matt Gleicher, CMT Jerusalem Massage 052-636-2000 |
| Tips on Improving your Posture |
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Bad posture when sitting, standing, or trying to lift something off the ground can cause chronic back pain and lead to a serious back injury. Fixing bad posture, however, means more than sitting straighter. It also means strengthening the areas that support the spine and ensuring good weight distribution across the body.
"People spend the vast majority of their time sitting in chairs that don't give them proper back support," said fitness expert Mike Mashbaum (Personal Fitness Trainer) "So they wind up leaning forward or putting themselves into unnatural body positions. All that contributes to the aches and pains they start to feel after a while."
Those bad positions, Mushbaum said, put pressure on the back from two directions: gravity pulls the spine down from the top and the solid surface below allows the spine to be compressed unnaturally. The vertebrae get pushed together, placing pressure on the spine.
To improve posture, Mushbaum suggests exercises that eliminate extra weight, strengthen the abdomen and lower back, and provide maximum flexibility. "Strengthening the abdominal area with a basic crunch or half-sit up will go a long way," he said. "For the back area, I recommend an exercise I call the "superman" because the position is similar to Superman flying in the sky. Lie down on your stomach with your arms in front of you and lift up your torso or your lower body. That creates more flexibility in those areas. Squats are also good for the leg area because they mimic the motion we use when we stand up from our sitting position." Michael Mashbaum
Certified Personal Trainer
054-239-3490
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| Q & A |
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A: Our posture is often thrown off because we overuse, under-use, or abuse certain muscles. A massage therapist can help us learn more about how our bodies work and even help us feel what it's telling us it needs. If we don't treat our body right, we pay the price. If we get injured and don't allow ourselves to heal properly, or if we don't pay attention to muscle pain, stress, or trauma, our tissues tighten up and cause problems. When we don't exercise and keep ourselves strong, our muscles don't provide the proper stability that our bodies need.
A massage therapist can get us back on track by helping loosen our tight muscles, strengthen weak muscles, and provide proper flexibility and strength exercises. A good therapist will also know when to refer a patient to a personal trainer, chiropractor, osteopath, physical therapist, or other qualified therapists.
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