Body positivity, or the body positive movement, promotes a positive view of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, and physical abilities among other criteria. Advocates focus on the appreciation of the functionality and health of the human body, as opposed to assessment of its physiological appearance. While it’s considered by many to be a purely social movement, we want to draw your attention to the descriptor regarding appreciation of the functionality of the human body. If this is the case (and it indeed is) then it’s clear that to answer the query of how to improve body positivity, we must also look towards interventions beyond positive affirmations being spoken in the mirror and into the Universe, For the intents and purposes of our own field of alternative healthcare, we suggest that you can improve your own body positivity, in part, through physiotherapy.
Powerful Ways Regular Physiotherapy Can Improve Your Body Positivity
Correcting Pain and Discomfort That Makes You Feel Bad About Yourself
We agree that people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities (etc.) are beautiful. However, all of the aforementioned positive affirmations in the world won’t matter if you suffer from chronic pain and discomfort.
Research shows that those who have chronic pain don’t only feel physical pain, they tend to feel guilty because they are unable to do things they want to do. They often feel that they are letting others down, and/or they believe they are doing something wrong or intentional. Additional studies find that between 35% to 45% of people with chronic pain experience depression and a sense of anxiousness that causes them to ruminate over the condition, These feelings can actually enhance pain, inflammation, and muscle tension which perpetuates a vicious cycle.
Whether or not chronic pain is the result of unhealthy habits such as overeating and a lack of exercise, or the result of a prior injury, a physiotherapist will intervene with a treatment and rehabilitation program. There’s a good chance that as a part of the treatment and rehabilitation plan, lifestyle changes need to be made. These are not required to improve appearance, but to improve “the functionality and health of the human body” which is the root of the body positivity movement. Any aesthetic improvement in body mass and muscle tone to come with lifestyle changes is simply a side effect.
To reiterate, someone living with chronic pain/discomfort who wants to improve their own body positivity will greatly benefit from physiotherapy (all else equal).
Performance Enhancement
The body positivity movement seeks to foster body acceptance and boost self-esteem no matter what we look like. However, if we can’t do the things we love to do, it’s hard to maintain high levels of self-esteem even if we don’t experience chronic pain. Whether you’re into sports or eSports, writing or bike riding, your musculoskeletal health has an impact on your performance. When you work with a physiotherapist and communicate to them what your goals are, they will create a plan that incorporates movements, stretches, and exercises that will enhance your performance. This applies to ALL types of activities, not just for athletics and intense forms of recreation. Need examples? Check out the following articles on how physiotherapy can have a direct and positive impact on various types of activities that you may not have considered:
- Benefits of physiotherapy for musicians
- Benefits of physiotherapy for dancers
- Benefits of physiotherapy for writers
- Benefits of physiotherapy for farmers
- Benefits of physiotherapy for gardeners
- Benefits of physiotherapy for fishing
- Benefits of physiotherapy for gamers
- Benefits of physiotherapy for bowlers
- Benefits of physiotherapy for parenting (moms, dads, grandfathers, and grandmothers)
Again, the above are just examples of activities that success in (as you see it) will boost your self-esteem and promote body positivity. There is nary an activity that regular physiotherapy can’t have a positive impact upon. In fact – we dare you to test us on it! If you live in the Greater Vancouver BC area, schedule a consultation to find out how physiotherapy will make a positive difference in your life – body, mind, and soul.