March’s Topic: Jazmin Ibarra RMT, “Upper Crossed Syndrome – Self-awareness, a Key to Healthier Life”

If you plan to attend please register and forward to anyone you think could benefit from joining us. Everyone is welcome!

Hello Everyone!

I hope you can join us in our next Group Meeting. This month you are in for a treat with information that is applicable to everyone.
Whether you have ASD, are a relative of someone with ASD or simply live in today’s world, you have experienced stress, tension or pain due to the fast paced and demanding current rhythm of life.

A Massage Therapies can help with that and more… let’s explore common issues and how to resolve them with practical tips we can start applying. Anyone looking at screens too much?

In Jazmin’s own words:

“It is my pleasure to accept Maria’s invitation to participate in the up and coming forum for Autism Calgary and share my passion on the healing processes of the human body. Upper Crossed Syndrome, Self-awareness, a Key to Healthier Life focuses on the basics of the musculoskeletal system and this particular musculoskeletal condition, helps develop self awareness and provides the tools to improve a more appropriate posture and body mechanics. This is the key to diminish UCS signs and symptoms, by maintaining the body’s posture and its movement in balance.

When I became a Massage Therapist, a colleague said to me “welcome to the Pain or Discomfort Industry”. At the beginning, I thought that assumption was exaggerated, but eventually I realized 95% of my clients were struggling with stiffness, pain, or discomfort in their everyday lives; most of the complaints involving neck “stiffness” and back pain.

I analyzed the postural assessments of clients suffering from neck and back hypertonicity, pain, or discomfort and I noticed, in all cases, the following musculoskeletal disorders: thoracic kyphosis, medially rotated shoulders, forward head posture, weak and overstretched Middle Trapezius, Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids, and hypertonicity in Pectoralis Major, Levator Scapulae and Upper Trapezius. I also noticed a directly proportional correlation between signs and symptoms.

The musculoskeletal pattern described above defines Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) a widely spread condition in modern society. Most daily activities cause postural imbalances leading to UCS. Daily stress is also an aggravating factor for people suffering from UCS. Upper Crossed Syndrome is at the origin of a non-negligible number of musculoskeletal disorders. Depending on the individual, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, tension headaches, and Shoulder Impingement are conditions that surface in the short and mid-term. Spinal Stenosis, Facet Joint Irritation, and intervertebral disc pathologies such as Disc Avulsion or Herniated Nucleus Pulposus are more likely to develop in the long term.

Massage Therapy helps reduce the levels of stress and hypertonicity caused by postural imbalances or improper body mechanics generated by UCS. However, without instruction and appropriate home care, a massage treatment would be inefficient to help reverse UCS signs and symptoms. That might be the reason why clients showing the best results are not precisely the ones getting more massages. The ones wanting to understand the causes and aggravating factors of UCS, and willing to develop self awareness are more likely to improve their posture and body mechanics.

Upper Crossed Syndrome, Self-awareness, a Key to Healthier Life training is addressed to families, care givers or providers. Although it could also be passed on to and benefit those who are touched and challenged with autism. I would be happy to address any specific questions or concerns that you may have. Please, feel free to contact me at or (587) 969 7415  Thank you for your time and attention. I am looking forward to meeting you.

More about Jazmin Ibarra, B.F.A. and Registered Massage Therapist

Jazmin Ibarra earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Liège, Belgium in 2002. She worked as a Teacher and Art Therapist for fifteen years in France, Belgium and Mexico from 2005 to 2015. She moved to Calgary, Alberta in July of 2015 where she currently works as an RMT, tutor, and Teacher Assistant (TA) at Makami Massage Therapy College.

Jazmin firmly believes Massage Therapy’s healing touch is a wonderful fusion between therapeutic art and health care. Massage Therapy is also a way to improve health and well being. Fitness of body and mind cannot be achieved overnight or in one visit. It is meant to be built up, maintained, and magnified with consistent effort. The process of enhancing our well-being is a fulfilling and rewarding journey.

Jazmin has created a program called posturemotion to evoke a compelling heightened awareness to develop improved body posture and body mechanics.
Specific training is adapted and catered to meet the needs of groups and individuals, regardless of the types of work practices, recreational activities or life styles.

Jazmin is deeply passionate about the healing process of body, mind, and soul. Her most profound desire is for you to understand that adopting and embracing a healthier posture and body mechanics is priceless…posturemotion is worth the investment, the effort, time, and emotion.

“Enjoy the journey, you may inspire the world around you.” – Jazmin Ibarra

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