Did you know massage could help improve your posture as well as make you feel good? Here’s how…

Often find yourself hunched over your laptop at work, or slouching when you stand up on your commute? It’s easy to fall into bad posture habits. Improving your posture has a range of benefits – it will help prevent back and neck pain, and standing up straight can help you look slimmer and even feel more confident. Exercises such as yoga, Pilates and ballet are great for posture. But you may be surprised to learn that regular massage can play a part in perking up your posture, too.

‘Massage can’t directly alter your posture but it can affect the muscles that play a part in it,’ says massage therapist Aaron. ‘If tight, tense muscles are contributing to poor posture, a therapist can stretch and elongate them. This can help open the joint capsule, which makes movement smoother, so you hold yourself differently.’

If you’re holding yourself in an awkward way because you’re in pain, a massage can tackle the root cause. ‘For example, lower back pain can come from tight glutes, so working on this area can ease pain, which can have a knock-on effect on posture,’ says Aaron.

Massage can also help indirectly by making you more aware of your body and what you’re doing with it. ‘If you sit at a desk a lot and don’t do enough exercise, a massage can put you in touch with your body and make you more aware of the muscles that need working,’ says Aaron.

Many of us slouch when we’re feeling low or lacking in confidence – and massage has a role to play here, too. ‘The sense of touch is a powerful one and massage can help ease stress and boost your mood,’ says Aaron.