Posture

The Joy of Feeling Young Again

We begin our lives as babies. We learn to roll, sit and stand . . . and find our balance. But somewhere along the way, we lose that natural harmony.
We become hunched, awkward and uncoordinated.
Misalignments take hold. Our bodies rebel, and we feel increasing pain in our backs, necks, shoulders, hips, knees and feet.
Then, it is time to pause and listen to what our bodies are telling us, and make every effort to recapture the easy, efficient movement we once had.
Living a full life begins with the postural basics. We must not underestimate the value of good self-carriage, proper breathing and truly restful relaxation.
The importance of correct posture begins the moment we step out of bed in the morning and lasts until we climb back in at the end of the day.
It affects the way we use our computers, drive our cars  or position ourselves when we’re simply staring out into space and supposedly doing nothing.
“Posture” comes from the Latin verb meaning “to put or place.” It refers to the way we carry our body as a whole, whether sitting, standing, running or jumping.
The key to good posture is for our mind to be unfettered, our frame in balance and our movements as free-flowing as possible.
The brain is the powerhouse. We need to keep it in tip-top condition by overriding all the stresses of modern life and by heeding the old Roman saying about a healthy mind in a healthy body.
Above all, we must not submit passively to physical limitations. We must take action.
One way of doing this is to see a physiotherapist who is skilled in analyzing body dysfunction and can help us restore our normal way of going.
At the very least, we owe ourselves the joy of fluid, pain-free movement. We deserve to feel young again.