Is posture important?
We’ve all been told at some point in our childhood to sit up straight or to stand up properly but did anyone actually explain to us why this might be a good thing to do? Having an awareness of how we hold ourselves when sitting, standing, or walking, can really help to create better muscular health and balance. Poor posture can cause irritated muscles and lead to pain and discomfort. It’s well known that long periods of sitting badly can cause aching and tenderness in our muscles. As muscles get overstretched due to poor posture they weaken and cause an imbalance in our bodies and eventually start to become painful and irritated.
One of the things we can improve with structural bodywork and Structural Integration is posture. By using Myofascial techniques we can undo areas of tightness in the muscles and fascia and create a more balanced posture. Long periods of sitting or moving poorly can cause thickening and adhesions in the fascia, which in turn can cause the muscles to become more restricted and less able to function efficiently, eventually starting to pull us into a poor posture. Often after receiving Structural Bodywork or Structural Integration, clients report feeling taller and more upright and have a feeling of lightness and fluidity in their bodies.
Having good posture and body alignment are actually very important to our overall health and vitality. Poor posture creates unnecessary stress and strain on our bodies which can have a detrimental effect on our joints and ligaments, as well as contributing to tension headaches and back pain, it can even impact the function of our vital organs and reduce our lung capacity by 30%.
So next time you are sitting at your laptop or using your device give your body a break and check in on your posture. Get a good workstation set up, or if you really want to treat your body, consider a course in Structural Bodywork. Your body will thank you for it.
Take a look at this video which does a nice job of explaining the benefits of having a good posture
