Bodywork for Peace

Here's an interesting study about massaging the diaphragm to help women with forward head posture (FHP) and chest expansion (CE) from the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies:

Forty-six women were split into two groups in a randomized controlled trial. Both groups practiced the same neck exercises 3x/wk for 4 weeks, while the intervention group also received myofascial massage to their diaphragm 4x/wk for 4 weeks. They were evaluated on their forward head posture, chest expansion, and functional disability one day before and one day after treatment.

The study found that adding diaphragm myofascial release to neck exercises led to significantly greater improvements in forward head posture and chest expansion compared to neck exercises alone. Thus, it is recommended for managing patients with symptomatic FHP.

In my experience, people often neglect the abdomen (where the diaphragm sits at the top and helps primarily with breathing) during massage. And most wouldn't think to massage the diaphragm to help with a neck that leans forward too much. But this demonstrates the interconnectedness of various parts of the body or the kinetic chain, and releasing the diaphragm could have an positive impact in improving neck posture and function.

HTTP Status 429 – Too Many Requests

The 2025 Inland Empire NAMI Walks took place on a cold, rainy, windy morning. We set up anyway in hopes the skies would hold out long enough, and a few dozen brave people took off on the trail amidst a light drizzle. During the walk, however, the wind and rain picked up and we vendors had to take down. Some canopies blew over and it was a mad dash to pack up everything and move the hot dog barbeque tables and lunch under the very large, secure main tent for the walkers as they arrived back. Many walkers ran straight to their cars but there was food for those who stayed. Needless to say, Bodywork for Peace didn't get to contribute financially from this fundraiser but we hope for better circumstances next year!