Have you noticed that the information age lends to some unsightly postural habits? We perch in front of our computers, back hunched over, shoulders rolled forward, legs crossed at the knee or ankle, perhaps chin in hand as we stare at the screen reading a riveting blog. Such a position is comfortable and doesn’t seem like such a big deal until something starts to ache.
As creatures of habit, there are many other ways we develop patterns of holding our bodies. Crossing your legs the same way every time, wearing high heels more often than not, how you sleep, how you hold a baby, how you sit when you drive, having a wallet in your back pocket and sitting on it for long hours (Sciatica anyone?)… all of these things can develop into a habit that effects the balance of your body. At Custom Comfort Massage Therapy, we call these habits “chronic holding patterns” and they are, more often than not, the cause of your varying aches and pains.
Take charge, make a change.
Dare I say that we have the ability to individually effect healthcare reform? It might sound extreme, and like the common perception of “Going Green”, it may seem like one person changing their habits won’t make a difference, but that way of thinking is also called a domino effect of apathy. If nothing else, we can make a difference in our own world.
What do you do if your back starts to ache from sitting a certain way? Do you get up from your office chair and walk around? If you’re like me and have worked at a desk for a number of years, chronic holding patterns will eventually catch up with you, despite your best efforts to avoid being in the same position for hours on end. Some culprits for our problems are more obvious than others. Other culprits are not so obvious and one itty-bitty habit can effect a seemingly unrelated part of the body or act as the instigator in a ripple effect for many parts of the body.
A common thought in these cases is, “It’s nothing I need to see a doctor for, it’s just really annoying.” Or maybe a person does see a see a doctor and the doctor prescribes an anti-inflamatory. In any case, there may be something you can do that you may not be aware of. The key is awareness. We believe it’s the key to maintaining balanced health and wellness.
For example.
I can’t think of a better example of chronic holding patterns to use than myself. For several months (maybe even more than a year) I have had quite annoying aching in my knees. I wondered if I was just getting arthritic in my old age. Ok, I’m not so old, but it’s not uncommon to have arthritis at a semi-young age, especially since there is a history of the disease in my family. But then I saw actual arthritic knees in a cadaver lab, studied chronic holding patterns, and learned where the quad/thigh muscles attach to the bone–via a ligament that crosses the knee cap. That’s when the awareness kicked in. It was a definite Aha! moment for me.
I have had full-time desk jobs for 14 years. Somewhere along the jounrey, I developed a habit of crossing my ankles and tucking my feet under my chair as I work on the computer. Since I learned how to be more aware and took inventory of all my chronic holding patterns and aches that might be associated, I recognized my tuck-under habit as the culprit of my aching knees. That tendon crossing my knee is being stretched each time I resume the position, effecting the patella (knee cap; primary location of my discomfort) and other ligaments in the surrounding area. Once I recognized the relationship, I started to make a change and have felt relief because of it.
There’s also the problem of my rolled forward spine and shoulders. The muscles (i.e. abs, pectoral) supporting the sitting-up-straight position have become too weak over time to support my body the way they should.
Undoing the habit.
There are a few steps I have taken to help correct my pattern.
1. Awareness – I uncross my legs and sit up straight a lot more often and more quickly than I used to.
2. Massage - Being able to pinpoint the primary target of my discomfort has been essential in recieving bodywork to help my aching back and legs. With Deep Tissue-Structural massage techniques, we as therapists are able to help the muscles realign and support our bones they way they should.
3. Exercise – I have found that Yoga and sitting on an exercise ball while I’m at the computer for an hour at a time have both been very helpful tools. The combination of these things has also increased the time I am able to sit and play the piano.
At Custom Comfort Massage Therapy, we assess the entire body to determine what might be the root of the problem. In addition to taking a thorough intake of the client’s activities and habits, we will coach you on how to be aware of your chronic holding patterns and help you overcome them. I have seen the effects of Deep Tissue-Structural massage and coaching in a few of my clients. The result is better quality of life and less stress because now they know they can do something about it themselves.
