Posture problems often lead to massage therapy
Staff writer
With more people hunched over computers and cell phones than ever, it’s no surprise that county massage therapists see many clients with posture issues.
“It’s pretty consistent with the 21st century lifestyle,” Rachel Gfeller, who runs Breathe Deep Works in Peabody, said.
Gfeller has practiced massage therapy since 2006 and opened her business in 2020.
Extensive sitting can cause poor posture, which can lead to neck and back pain, she said.
To solve posture issues, Gfeller recommends researching cross-body stretches online.
“Stretching your hamstrings and your psoas (lower back) muscles can greatly improve that,” Gfeller said. “It’s not just the lower back, but also forward head and the shoulder rotating forward.”
A good massage also can ease joint pain. Breathe Deep Works offers a variety: relaxation massages, deep-tissue massages, pregnancy massages, and stone massages.
“They can help to lower stress, anxiety, and depression,” Gfeller said. “They can help to reset your nervous system.”
Shirley Davis, another practitioner at Breathe Deep, is trained in reflexology — where pressure is applied to feet, ears, and hands — and craniosacral therapy, which involves the placement of hands on the skull and neck area to relieve tension.
Both practices are considered alternative medicine.
The simplest and sometimes most effective thing to do to improve posture and joint health is daily stretching.
“Stretching your arms and legs is something that you should be doing every single day in order to keep mobility and strength over your lifetime,” Gfeller said.