Office workers exhibit poor posture on a daily basis; it has become more commonplace due to excessive hours working at the office and on computers. Mobile chair massage events are beneficial for those sitting at a desk all day.
As a massage therapist in a large corporate environment, each week I see the results of poor posture when clients (relax) sit in my massage chair for their regular chair massage.
Most often, clients request that specific (deep) massage work be done on the levator scapula muscle (the workhorse) in addition to the borders of the scapula (specifically the trapezius, deltoid, along with supraspinatus muscles.) These muscles typically take the workload (and aches and pains) of working hours a day at a computer.
Issues with poor posture include:
- The increased likeliness of injury because of muscle imbalances. Certain muscles get short and tight; some muscles become too long and tense. The body starts compensating which can eventually result in injury.
- Compression of organs; bad posture puts a great deal of pressure on our organs.
- Shallowness of breath, which affects our focus and our emotional and mental states. Our immune system is compromised, and we get foggy.
- Poor emotional and mental states.
The article from the Huffington Post states “Sitting up tall and with a good posture made everyone feel stronger, more focused, elevated, self-empowered, and more in control.”
Here are the things that you can work on:
- Stretch your chest
- Strengthen the upper back
- Work on your back’s flexibility and your spine’s mobility
- Stretch the hip flexors (muscles that help you bend)
- Work on strengthening your glutes (butt muscles)
- Stretch your hamstrings and calves
What activities can minimize the strain of sitting?
- Sitting on something wobbly
- Daily walking during breaks or lunchtime
- Stretch your hip flexors (Google this for more details)
- Yoga poses such as cat/cow (Google this for more details)
- Corporate on-site chair massage at your place of work (of course!)
Little daily changes can make a BIG impact on your quality of life both in and outside the office.
Read our testimonials here!
Contact Janet Constantino, CEO of Massage Kneads, at 410-989-3577 to get YOUR chair massage program started.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ava-kyte/your-posture-matters_b_10230318.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living
https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of-sitting/750/
