Communication is only 7% Verbal
Did you know that communication is only 7% verbal? Meaning that 93% of what you say is not actually about what words you use, but how you say it! 93%! When looking further at these statistics, we see that 7% of what you say is conveyed in words, 38% is conveyed from tone and vocal changes, and 55% is conveyed via body language, including hand gestures, facial expressions, and of course, your POSTURE.
What Does Your Posture Say About You?
How you present yourself in public, says more about you than what you actually say. The postural framework of your body often dictates another person’s opinion of you. If you have slouched posture, you may come off timid, lazy or disorganized. When you present with symmetric, tall posture the world sees you as confident, healthy, and worthy of positive attention.
Research demonstrates an association between body symmetry and interesting things like higher sexual attractiveness, physical dominance, emotional stability, and fidelity. Hey, it’s science!
Posture, then is the expression of mind and body. How you feel inside is demonstrated by how you carry your body in space. The psychology and the physiology of your body are interrelated. Body language begins at the shoulders, the shoulders and the upper extremity are the social dimension of the body.
When we are frustrated or angry or cold, the shoulders raise and the arms cross tight against the body. This is called a closed posture, because we are protecting ourselves, demonstrating that no one else is welcome in our space.
Happy, joyful, and inviting postures are just the opposite. The shoulders are back and relaxed, we open our arms inviting people into our space. We open our posture for hugs, embraces, and handshakes.
Posture also helps us look the part. If you were a business owner, which posture would you hire? Now remember, although they are qualified for the position, when answering the interview questions, only 7% of what she says is perceived by the interviewer in terms of her word usage and responses. 93% of her responses are judged by her demeanor and body language. That is something to think about.
Posture and Pain
Some studies have shown a correlation between postural distortions and pain or dysfunction.
Postural distortion patterns include forward head posture, slouching or standing on one leg repeatedly. Postural distortion patterns add increased load to the bones, joints and muscles and can reduce range of motion. These can cause a pain output signal from the brain.
A 2009 study suggest participants with chronic, non-traumatic neck pain have a greater degree of forward head posture in comparison to pain free participants.
Some Tips on How to Stand with Proper Posture from the American Posture Institute:
- Retract your chin slightly back so your ears are aligned over your shoulders
- Keep your shoulders back and press your chest forward, not with constriction, but with a sense of ease and lift.
- Evenly distribute your weight over both hips and legs
- Point both feet forward
- Align your ears over your shoulders, your shoulders over your hips, your hips over your knees, and your knees over your ankles
- Keep your head up and your eyes parallel with the horizon
If you feel you need to improve your posture, an effective approach is combination of
- Spinal Alignment Treatments
- Posture rehab exercises
- Posture habit reeducation
Please contact the office to start improving your posture!
References
Mehrabian, A. (1972). Nonverbal Communication. New Brunswick: Aldine Transaction.
Burns, K., Wade, M. Posture Workshop Series, American Posture Institute (2018).
Silva, A., Punt, D., Sharples, P., Vilas – Boas, J., &Johnson, M. (2009)
Head Posture and Neck Pain of Chronic Nontraumatic Origin: A Comparison Between Patients and Pain – Free Persons Archive of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 90(4) p. 669 – 67 4.