Bodies in Balance: An Expert Opinion

Professor Abrams studies the mind-body connection by analyzing body movement. “The body,” she explains, “has an innate intelligence which is often interfered with by outside influences” that create mis­alignment, patterns of tension, and inefficiency in body movement.

For example, wearing high heels has very real consequences on the body. The muscles in the front of your feet, legs, and lower back tense to keep you from falling over, creating an imbalance that causes other parts of the body to overcompensate. Unfortunately, this imbal­ance remains as residual tension, affecting your body long after you kick off your heels. People who frequently wear heels, such as models, are far more likely to have chronic back and knee problems.

Don’t wear heels? Imbalances can also happen in other areas of life like studying: poor sitting posture and an im­properly positioned computer screen can result in body ten­sion. Abrams warns students against positioning a computer screen above the line of vision because craning your neck creates imbalance. She suggests lowering the screen or raising the chair to allow your neck to elongate, in ad­dition to sitting with the spine supported vertically over the pelvis, with the “sit bones” back in the support of the chair.

Even with these measures in mind, imbalance in the body is sometimes unavoidable. Therefore, Abrams devotes much of her attention to studying and teaching somatic practices that “retrain” the body. Visual imagery is particularly useful in rebalancing muscle work in the body, though several other methods can be used. Ideoki­nesis (or Neuromuscular Reeducation), Laban Movement Analysis, Tai Chi, Alexander Technique, Pilates, Yoga, and various types of massage work help address body imbalances.

Abrams encourages somatic practices because feeling good physically affects self-confidence. “The bet­ter your body feels, the better you feel about your body,” she says. According to Abrams, leading a healthy lifestyle is integral to feeling good about yourself.

The message is clear: treating your body well has positive and reciprocal consequences—physically and mentally!