The "Boobie Syndrome"- Diane Matkowski Part 1 of 2

I have been doing bodywork for over 13 years and one of things I consistently see is tension at the base of most women’s necks, located where the neck joins the shoulders.  The tension is very distinct, starting in the neck, through the shoulder, and often ending in the middle of the back.  Some women know it is there and others discover it during our bodywork sessions.  I believe some of this tightness may be responsible for headaches and discomfort in women.  I call it, “boobie syndrome.”

In my studies of the human body and through giving and receiving countless massage treatments, I have learned that we should walk with our hips.  Meaning, we should lead with them before anything else.  Through much of his comedy, Jim Carey shows us in an exaggerated way how to walk. He pushes out his hips and his shoulders fall back, as he glides around in his comical pose.  Without Jim Carey’s exaggerated tone, and by simply leading with our hips when we walk, the body actually aligns in perfect harmony.  However, many people lead with their heads or chest when they walk and this causes our shoulders to slouch and much of our upper back and lower neck to tighten.

For many women poor posture becomes an unconscious way of living due to the added weight or self conscious way we carry our breast.  During adolescence, all women develop differently and at different ages. In years of adolescence our breast are the forefront of discussions.  As adults, many of the stereotypes and gestures revolving around breast remain the same.

Women with larger breast are carrying around a lot of weight on their chests all the time.  If they are not conscious of how they are walking or their posture, and are not strengthening their back muscles, the weight can begin creating problems. As previously mentioned, many women do not lead with their hips, which creates deficiency in the back region.  Carrying yourself in this manner can put the body in a state of disharmony. Many women are too busy to notice until their body tells them through pain.


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Diane Matkowski is the owner of Freedom Massage in Paoli, PA. She is a continuing education provider for the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, an organization that certifies massage therapists.Over her 13 years in this field—and tens of thousands of massage sessions—she have learned from brilliant body workers and trained with the best. Now, she endeavors to instill both her knowledge of and passion for this work in every detail of my business/bodywork.