Posture and Your Heart Health
We are a forward society. We do many actions that involve reaching and leaning forward. We sit long hours looking at computer screens, bend forward to talk to our children, text on our phones, read and play games on our tablets and drive for long periods of time. Over time, these can cause slumped-forward posture: forward head, hands, and shoulders. Poor posture can negatively impact your heart health...
Forward Posture
A forward posture puts undue stress and tension on your body. For example, with repetitive forward activities, the muscles in the front of the chest get stuck in a shortened position, while the muscles in the back work overtime being pulled, stretched and weakened. When you are forward, the space in your thorax or chest area is decreased. If your diaphragm cannot expand and contract fully within that space, your cells, heart and other vital organs will not get optimal levels of oxygen. Forward posture can also cause pain, headaches and impingement of important structures.
What You Can Do
Increasing awareness, changing bad habits, regular stretching and massage can all positively impact your posture. Paying attention to how you are sitting and standing is a great first step. Try this: hunch forward and take a deep breath. Now sit up tall and take another deep breath. Feel the difference? Sitting tall provides space throughout your thoracic cavity which allows more oxygen to enter your bloodstream with each breath. More efficient breathing is better for your body, heart and health. Next, arrange your workspace. If your computer screen is too low, raise it using books or a stand so you are not looking down to see the screen. Search for stretches online for correcting rounded shoulder and forward head posture. Remember to sit tall when you work and drive.
Massage Health Benefits
Massage can also be a great tool. Myofascial release massage, in particular, can have a positive impact on posture and the cardiovascular system by releasing and opening restricted areas. While no massage therapist can touch the heart directly, they can address the tissue in the body that surrounds and supports the heart, creating a positive impact on veins, arteries, muscles and nerves. Massage also lowers stress levels. When blood flow is increased and blood pressure is reduced, the heart does not have to work as hard. Massage therapists can also point out posture weaknesses and suggest healthy ways to combat this prevalent problem in our society.
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