Title : Posture and its effect on muscle tension, health and well-being
Abstract:
Posture nonverbally communicates information about ourselves to others. However, most people are unaware of their posture and how this can affect their life. Looking at a screen is becoming more dominant in people’s lifestyle. The downward looking or the head forward position may significantly contribute to neck and shoulder discomfort, headaches, and upper body stiffness. It is also associated with depressive memory bias, failure-related emotions and lower confidence. An upright posture on the other hand is associated with increased confidence, performance, selfimage and less pain. Changing posture is a simple way to alter the chemistry of the body as a means of improving one’s physical wellbeing. However , the influence of our posture on our physiology as it interact with our breathing amplitude or frequency, heart rate, and muscle tension is not always acknowledged. Changes in the breathing pattern due to a collapsed posture has an impact on the physiological and psychological processes of the client. In this talk the results of our study at the State University of San Francisco about posture, health and the influence on an individual’s well-being will be discussed and demonstrated by case materials of clients in a private practice. The presented examples can be brought into the everyday life of both the participants and their clients.
