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| Posture is defined as the attitude or position
of the body. A line can be drawn along the side of the
body, starting at the ear, going through the shoulder
joint, hip joint, knee joint, and ending just in front
of the ankle. These points, when lined up, would represent
a person with good posture. |
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Signs of poor posture includes rounded or
uneven shoulders, slouching, forward or tilted head, extended
stomach, hyper-extended knees, flat back or military posture,
scoliosis, upper back “hump”, rotated or unlevel
hips, feet angled inwards or outwards, “knock knees”
or bow-legged.
Symptoms of poor posture includes headaches, backache,
muscle fatigue, degenerating painful joints, poor gait,
decreased range of motion, increased tension, muscle imbalance,
sleep disturbances or arthritis. |
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Poor posture is commonly caused by Hyper
lordosis (lower back sway), slouching, high-heel shoes,
flat feet, fallen arches, scoliosis, muscular imbalance,
poor body position held at work, previous injury, pregnancy,
muscle weakness, and asthma or other respiratory problems.
The average head weighs 10 pounds. For every inch that
your head moves forward out of proper alignment, gravity
adds an additional 10 pounds! That is a lot of strain
on your over-worked neck muscles.
Your Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) will assess, evaluate
and provide a treatment for your specific postural requirements.
Massage Therapy plays a key role in improving posture
by facilitating a balance in the body. This balance then
helps the patient to make postural adjustments and to
correct habitually poor posture. RMTs provide postural
training, manual techniques, active therapeutic exercises,
hydrotherapy and self-awareness training to help patients
improve posture at work and at leisure.
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Benefits of Good Posture
Breath is easier and fuller
Body is balanced and symmetrical
Movement is easier
Experience less pain or tension
have a wider range of motion in the joints
You feel and look better
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| (The above information has
been provided courtesy of the Massage Therapists’
Association of BC www.massagetherapy.bc.ca
) |
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Janice McCord is
a registered massage therapist, practicing at the Bellesmere
Massage Therapy Clinic in Scarborough. The clinic specializes
in therapeutic treatments, and all therapists are registered.
For further information, contact the clinic at (416)
431-9791 |
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