Madonna was showing signs of exhaustion during the gruelling rehearsals for her upcoming world tour.
The 64-year-old Queen of Pop can be seen laying on the floor and taking a break in photos shared on Instagram just days before she was found unconscious and rushed to hospital.
And now body language expert, Judi James, has exclusively told us that Madonna appeared to be suffering from "tiredness or exhaustion" in the photos taken before her hospitalisation.
"Madonna’s surface look is always going to be timeless and impeccable but there are some subtle body language clues in these photos that could hint at something like tiredness or exhaustion," Judi said.
"Her hands in the photo where she sits in front of a piano probably create the most telling image. She looks more vulnerable here.
"The left hand is splayed into a claw gesture on her knee and the knuckles look bent at an exaggerated angle, especially the thumb. The other hand clutches a drink and her elbows look pushed into her waist in a self-protective gesture rather than splayed out in a sign of her signature confidence," she continued.
"Her eye expression suggests tiredness here with the lids slightly drooped and her shoulders look slumped. In the back view photos on stage we can see her right hand has been lifted to touch her head as she listens, which can sometimes suggest mild distress or discomfort.
"In the pic on the floor she seems to be resting heavily on one hand. Her mouth has dropped open in two of the other photos, which again can be caused by tiredness," Judi added.
"Having said that though her schedule must have been gruelling if she was rehearsing shows and she still looks wildly busy and energetic for a woman half her age."
It is reported that Madonna was intubated for at least one night before having the tube removed. It is thought she is now alert and recovering.
A relative of the pop royalty has revealed that they were "preparing for the worst" after she was rushed to intensive care with a "serious bacterial infection."
Following her hospital dash, Madonna's Celebration tour - which was due to launch on July 15 - has been postponed following reports she had been "strenuously rehearsing" despite fans urging her cancel.
Discussing the rehearsals that had been underway, a source told PageSix : "She had been putting in 12-hour days. She was strenuously rehearsing and putting in the work."
Another source told the outlet that she "doesn't want to cancel her tour" and was enjoying herself in rehearsals. They added: "[She] wants to get back to it when she's ready."
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