Jennifer J. Kerr, LMT
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Proper Posture, What's That About?

5/31/2013

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A lot of my patients ask me about posture and how it affects your muscles. Improper posture can fatigue and weaken muscles and over time can permanently change the structure of your skeleton.

Muscles attach to bones through ligaments. Muscles and ligaments work to move, support or stabilize bones. When your body is held in a position outside neutral for an extended period...like slouching for example. The classic sitting in front of the computer, back curved, shoulders rounded, head extended. In this scenario, you are holding your body in a position that is outside the comfort zone for your bony structures and muscles. This fatigues muscles that are contracting to keep you in that position and weakening the antagonist muscles because they are being over-stretched. This leads to muscle spasms, decreased muscle tone, trigger points (which are knotted bunches of muscle fibers) and in turn pain and discomfort. The muscles and ligaments involved are also pulling on the bony structures that they are attached to, like the shoulder joint. So, everything is all jammed up and all you did was slouch at your computer for an hour. Can you imagine the health of those muscles and joints if you slouched everyday? Also, the muscles that stabilize the spine are always involved when you sit, stand, move and even breathe. So improper posture can just as easily affect the lower back and hip joints. In most cases both parts of the body are involved and even down to the muscles of your legs and feet. Everything is connected. Imbalance in the shoulder puts pressure on other muscles to compensate and can very well present as lower back pain.

The abdominal muscles are also very important in maintaining proper posture. If you have weak abdominal muscles, your stabilizing back muscles have to compensate to keep you upright. When there is a balance is the front and the back, your muscles can work more effectively and with less tension which means less pain and spasms for you in the long run.

As a student of Tai Chi & Qi Gong, I often recommend it to my clients who are interested in developing a better posture. It's very slow moving so it's great for those of us who live with chronic pain and have a hard time moving and positioning. Yoga is also great for learning posture but it is definitely more strenuous than Tai Chi or Qi Gong. Even if you took one class, I think you would be able to grasp a foundation that could last a lifetime as far as posture goes.

Developing a mindful awareness of your body and your posture gradually will turn into a good habit that can help you maintain balance and alignment within your body's muscles and skeletal structure, which means less trips to the massage therapist or chiropractor to alleviate pain and soreness but don't tell anyone I said that. :)



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Therapeutic Benefits of MassageĀ 

5/30/2013

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Most people view massage therapy as spa service used only for relaxation and stress-relief. However, the beneficial aspects of massage do not stop there!


Research has also shown that massage can:

  • Decrease Pain
    Massage stimulates the release of endorphins; the body's natural pain-killer.

  • Decrease Headaches and Sinus Pressure
    Most headaches are caused by muscular imbalance. Massage aids in the draining of the sinuses and eustachian tubes. I have had much success in my practice with patients suffering from migraines, tension headaches, sinus congestion and pressure. The combination of acupressure, stretching and working on surrounding musculature has provided relief to my patients.

  • Support Healthy Immune System Function
    Massage has been shown to increase circulating lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the body. White blood cells and the lymph are both part of the immune system which is the body's innate self-defense mechanism.

  • Improve Range of Motion
    Frequently after an injury or with repetitive stress, a joint can lose mobility. Massage helps to open the joint spaces, relieve tension in the supporting musculature and tendons allowing the joint to in turn relax and increase its range of motion.

  • Prevent and Break-up Adhesions
    Transverse massage strokes help to prevent adhesions from occurring in between the muscle fibers. When muscle fibers start to adhere together it acts to restrict their full range of motion. Stretching the connective tissues that surround and support the musculature promotes its health and prevents it from adhering to the muscle.

  • Shorten Recovery Time after Injuries
    Pressure from massage brings blood and nutrients to an injured area and assists the body in its natural healing process.

  • Improve Circulation
    Massage pressure moves blood and lymph fluids through congested areas. Massage acts to promote the venous return of blood back toward the heart. This is particularly important for enhancing proper circulation within the extremities. Vasopressin (a naturally occurring hormone in the human body) constricts or narrow blood vessels which leads to increased blood pressure. Massage has been shown to decrease the levels of vasopressin in the body.

  • Improve Posture
    There are 22 postural muscles in the body. When a muscular or structural imbalance occurs it can throw the whole body out of balance. Poor posture over time can impair proper muscle functioning and affect the structure of your joints. If a muscle is constantly being pulled tight and short then the antagonist muscle will be over-stretched and weak. Massage helps to relax the tight muscle and strengthen the weak muscle therefore helping with postural imbalances.

  • Relieve Tension and Stress
    Massage decreases cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is released during stress. It is believed that vasopressin works in tandem with the pituitary gland in controlling the release of stress hormones. Massage decreases the levels of vasopressin in the body. Massage has also been shown to stimulate the release of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that controls mood, sleep and appetite as well as cognitive functions such as memory and learning. An increase in serotonin levels can aid in the treatment of insomnia and mood disorders.

  • Reduce Muscle Spasms
    Muscle spasms can be caused by a structural imbalances, prolonged use or overuse, certain diseases that affect the nervous system, compressed or impinged nerves and dehydration. During a massage, your muscles are sending messages to the central nervous system as a stimulus response. Massage engages the natural reflexes of the body to properly encourage muscle relaxation. The pressure and technique of massage can help to restore the muscle back to its optimal state.

  • Reduce Inflammation
    Massage provokes the release of histamines, which alerts the body's natural inflammation response.


In conclusion, massage therapy and all its wonderful effects can be beneficial to nearly everyone. It can serve as a crucial part of your health care treatments and your self-care regimen. When you treat yourself or someone else to a massage by a licensed professional, you are opening up the space for an experience that affects your entire physical and emotional systems. The body is a fascinating machine and massage supports and encourages your innate physical healing abilities.


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References:

Mark Hyman Rapaport, Pamela Schettler, and Catherine Bresee. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. October 2010, 16(10): 1079-1088. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0634.

Salvo, Susan G. Pathology for Massage Therapist 2nd Edition. Missouri: Elsevier, Inc., 2009. Print.

Sohn, Tina, and Robert C. Sohn. Amma Therapy: A Complete Textbook of Oriental Bodywork and Medical Principles. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts, 1996. Print.

Prezbindowski, Kathleen Schmidt., Gerard J. Tortora, Sandra Reynolds. Grabowski, and Gerard J. Tortora. Learning Guide [for] Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, Tenth Edition [by] Gerald J. Tortora, Sandra Reynolds Grabowski. [Hoboken, NJ]: Wiley, 2003. Print.

Peterson, Andrea. "Don't Call It Pampering: Massage Wants to Be Medicine." Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 May 2013.

Donahue, Pat. “Influences of Massage on Circulation.” Massage News. n.d. Web. 30 May 2013.

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