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The Manual Touch Physical Therapy

Whole Body Approach

Reclaim movement, function and life
For information, call: 847-541-7600
or email: info@themanualtouch.com
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How Your Posture Affects Your Voice

October 9, 2018 By Denise Schwartz 3 Comments

How Bad Posture Negatively Affects Your Voice

Is your voice not strong enough?  Do you have difficulty projecting?  Voice fatigue?

One component could be because your core is weak and your posture inefficient, whether it be sitting or standing.

Let me tell you about my patient, Kaitlin.  Kaitlin, once a collegiate athlete, now had difficulty speaking as she would lose her voice, become breathless and greatly fatigued after a day of working in an office with a lot of meetings requiring her to speak a lot.

Kaitlin was originally referred to me by Susan Bertucci, my friend and speech therapist. Susan recommended manual therapy for her vocal cord dysfunction (weakness of the vocal cord). Upon evaluation, in addition to the myofascial restrictions requiring manual therapy, we found Kaitlin’s core to be very weak and she had difficulty maintaining efficient posture when sitting or standing which then made it more difficult to speak and breathe.

Kaitlin received manual therapy to release any restricting tissues that were affecting her vocal cords. These tissues included the muscles and fascia around her neck and throat, back, abdomen, and diaphragm. She was given exercises to increase her core strength and improve neuromuscular control for “whole body” integration of her core with her arms and legs.

As she got stronger and began incorporating cardio exercise, such as elliptical and fast walking, Kaitlin noticed her breathing felt off. To manage her breathing while exercising, I recommended she count, talk or sing which forced her to breath naturally and keep at a pace that her respiratory system was ready for. Often times, when people complain of breathing difficulty when working out, it’s simply that they are working out too hard for their respiratory system to keep up. This is your body’s cue to slow down.

Kaitlin began to use a standing desk at work and we worked together to figure out the best sitting position for her, particularly when in meetings when she had to talk a lot.  As Kaitlin is tall, she needed to raise her seat by sitting on 1-2 pillows in order for her to keep her feet flat on the floor and her back in good alignment. She also had to be cautious from looking down to read for too long as that would flare up her voice and breathing symptoms.

As she became stronger, she was given more advanced core exercises in standing and again we incorporated her voice during these exercises by counting or speaking.

Kaitlin is back to work full-time and understands her limitations for work and socializing to limit constraints on her voice.  She has returned to exercising without difficulty.

Do you ever find yourself having difficulty breathing or speaking? Here are some tips you can use when you need to use your voice to your best advantage.

1 – Engage your Abs

Engaging the lower abdominals, in particular your transverse abdominis, helps support the back. You can use this simple:  Place your tongue on the back of your top teeth and make the “thhh” sound. Hold for 5 seconds, then rest 5 seconds. Repeat this 10 times, twice per day (morning and night). You can also use this trick as you move throughout your day.  To learn how to do this, check out my YouTube video

2 – Find your Center of Balance

Stand with your feet close together and rock forward onto the balls of your feet then back towards your heel. Make sure you are moving from the ankles and not the hips. Repeat this several times daily. Watch the “Center of Balance” video demonstration on YouTube to see how this is done.

3 – Be Mindful of Your Sitting and Standing Posture

Traditional advice from the time you were small rears its ugly head again.

Whenever you’re in the seated position, try these tips to regain your posture and improve sitting comfort:

  • Place your knees lower than your hips, a wedge pillow under can help.
  • Use a lumbar support pad behind the small of your back to support the normal curvature of the spine and promote proper posture.
  • Choose a firm chair over something mushy that will compromise the position of your back.
  • Keep your feet flat on the floor; do not cross your legs.
  • Sitting the majority of your day will set you up for a boatload of issues. Check out my blog post for more tips on sitting posture, including the 2-minute exercises you can do at your desk.
  • If you find yourself in a situation where you have to give a talk or presentation while sitting, you can follow these tips from a renown speaking coach to set yourself up for success.

We often have to stand in lines at the store, at a social event, at the train or bus stops, at the sink washing dishes, or – hopefully – at a standing desk. Maintaining good posture or alignment prevents you from irritating yourself. Here are some tips to ensure you’re using good standing posture:

  • Stand evenly over both feet, shoulder width apart, do not lean more on one hip than the other.
  • Relax your shoulders by lowering your chest and do not over pull shoulder blades back.
  • Engage your abs (See #1 above)
  • Find your center of balance over your whole feet (See #2 above)

For more tips on mindful movement, check out my free eBook: Mindful Tips for Pain-Free Daily Movement.

4 – Breathe from your Diaphragm

Breathing – sounds simple, right?  Breathing is an unconscious activity that keeps us alive, but when moving around, talking or exercising, your breathing has to coordinate with your core stability and movement and that could take some practice.

Here’s an exercise you can do: Lie on your back with your knees bent.  Engage abs, as instructed above, pulling belly button down towards spine.  Place your hand on your upper belly, breathe into your hand and through your nose, expanding your belly first and then your chest, then exhale through your mouth all while keeping your abs engaged.  Repeat this 5 times. When you are successful at doing this while lying down, do this in a seated and a standing position as well.


I hope you found these tips helpful!

If you’re having any difficulty breathing or speaking (or both), you can schedule an appointment with me by calling 847-541-7600 or click here to message me.

I’d be honored to have the opportunity to work with you to improve your overall function.

 

Filed Under: Health & Wellness

About Denise Schwartz

Denise Schwartz, PT, IMT, C is the owner of The Manual Touch Physical Therapy. For over 30 years, she has been helping patients reduce pain and improve quality of life using a whole body approach. Denise specializes in chronic pain, spinal conditions, running/triathlon injuries and prevention, balance/vestibular disorders, functional exercise, kinesiotaping, and various non-traditional and traditional & manual therapies. Contact Denise at denise@themanualtouch.com

Comments

  1. trainer@kinesiologie-ausbildung.de says

    April 6, 2019 at 1:51 pm

    I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.

    Reply

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I had several issues when I began therapy at The Manual Touch.  My sacrum had rotated;  there was stiffness in the right side of the neck; and pain in the left bicep. Denise did an excellent job resolving these issues.  Besides being very knowledgeable, she is also easy to work with.  I looked forward to, and enjoyed, my sessions with her. If I need physical therapy in the future, I will definitely return to The Manual Touch.
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There is no worse than a nagging injury that keeps you off from pursuing the athletic endeavors. Being an avid road cyclist, gravel rider, cyclocross racer and a marathon runner turned into a recent Triathlete, I train all year round and race all year round. In 2016, May in Terre Haute Sprint triathlon run, I tore some fascia connecting my lowest abdominal and my leg right in the groin area. The condition was diagnosed as Sports Hernia. Denise started me off with couple of sessions in a week.… Read more
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Denise Schwartz of the Manual Touch Physical Therapy offered a presentation about Low Back Pain and Sciatica at the North Suburban YMCA in Northbrook, IL where I am a personal trainer and the Adult Program Coordinator. We had 21 people in attendance and everyone expressed their appreciation to me about her thorough, thoughtful, helpful and precise information regarding lower back pain and sciatica and in addressing their individual questions. As a personal trainer for more than 25 years, I was p… Read more
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Denise Schwartz at The Manual Touch is A GREAT Physical Therapist!  I came to her with a torn ligament and tendonitis in my foot AFTER going to 2 other well know PT chains who actually made my injuries worse. Not only did she help me heal from those injuries but actually worked on other parts of my Body to help heal those areas too. I really appreciate that she works on the whole body – after all everything is connected. She is very knowledgeable in what she does.
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I needed help.  Denise and the manual touch provided the best customized, targeted therapy I could have found.  She put my torn knee back together, straightened my back, worked with me to regain the mobility I’d lost due to a neck injury, even had me doing dance steps I’d not done in 60 years.  I didn’t think I could do this; she showed me I could.
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We believe all body systems and mental/emotional health are connected. We take a whole body approach to discover why patients are not healing and what were the initial causes of their current symptoms. 

Our mission is to use this whole body approach to help patients heal and overcome pain and limitations, resulting in improved quality of life. We also aim to promote wellness in our communities through ongoing education. 
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I want to thank you for professional treatment of my cranial sacral and vestibular condition as a result of my auto accident. I am glad I was referred to you upon asking for someone like yourself who specializes in treating post concussion syndrome.”… Read more
Due to a stroke of good luck, I saw a class on Lower Back Pain offered by Denise from The Manual Touch Physical Therapy at Northbrook YMCA. I followed up with an assessment by Denise. Three years ago, I fell and broke my right arm and hip, followed … Read more
There is no worse than a nagging injury that keeps you off from pursuing the athletic endeavors. Being an avid road cyclist, gravel rider, cyclocross racer and a marathon runner turned into a recent Triathlete, I train all year round and race all yea… Read more
Three weeks prior to a major triathlon that was a year in training, I threw out my back. Having previously worked with Denise to correct hip related issues, I knew just what to do: text Denise! Denise responded to my message immediately and took the … Read more
Awesome!!! Healing work!!!
Thank you for treating my back injury and helping me quickly return to comfort and the activities I enjoy!  When I last injured my back and tried P.T., I treated for 7 months with none of the results you helped me achieve in a fraction of that amoun… Read more
I complained to my family doctors about severe pain in lower back.  He recommended use The Manual Touch.  I followed Denise’s recommendation and started physical exercises for my lower back.  Also I am wearing abdominal binder which improved my … Read more
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The information provided on The Manual Touch Physical Therapy website is for personal and noncommercial use only. The resources and content provided should be used for educational purposes only and not as a substitute for appropriate medical care. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort please seek medical attention.