Chapter 7: Functional Assessments Flashcards
Structural Integrity
The alignment and balance of the musculoskeletal system. Allows for joints, muscles, and nerves to function efficiently together.
Kyphosis & Lordosis
Kyphosis: Increased posterior thoracic curve
(rounded shoulders)
Lordosis: Increased anterior lumbar curve (Jen selter)
ASSOCIATED MUSCLE IMBALANCES
Tight/Hypertonic:
- Hip Flexors
- Lumbar Extensors
- Anterior Chest/Shoulders
- Lats
- Neck Extensors
Inhibited/Weak Muscles:
- Hip Extensors
- External Obliques
- Upper back extensors
- Scapular Stabilizers
- Neck Flexors
Flat Back
Flatback: Decreased anterior lumbar curve (posterior pelvic tilt)
ASSOCIATED MUSCLE IMBALANCES
Tight/Shortened:
- Rectus Abdominis (6-pack muscle)
- Upper back extensors
- Neck extensors
- Ankle plantar flexors
Weak/lengthened muscles:
- Iliacus/psoas major
- internal oblique
- lumbar extensors
- neck flexors
Sway Back
Sway back: Decreased anterior lumbar curve + increased posterior thoracic curve (full hunchback)
ASSOCIATED MUSCLE IMBALANCES
Tight/Shortened Muscles:
- Hamstrings
- Upper fibers of posterior obliques
- Lumbar Extensors
- Neck Extensors
Weak/Lengthened muscles:
- Iliacus/psoas major
- External Obliques
- Rectus Femoris (Quad muscle)
- Upper back Extensors
- Neck Flexors
Scoliosis:
Lateral spine curve, often combined with vertebral rotation
Muscular imbalances
Correctable/ Uncorrectable conditions
Correctible:
- Poor posture from habit, repetitive movements, bad joint mobility/stability, side dominance and strength programs that are not balanced.
Non-correctable:
- Certain pathologies (rheumatoid arthritis), congenital conditions (such as scoliosis), structural deviations and traumas (amputation and surgeries etc.)
Static Postural Assessment
- Give insight into muscle imbalances; which often lead to dysfunctional movement.
- When performing plumb line static posture assessment it is KEY to focus on MAJOR imbalances, as bodies are rarely ever symmetrical.
Deviation 1: Ankle pronation
Supination – high arches
- Inversion foot movement
- knee (tibial) movement – external rotation
- Viewpoint: from the front
- Femoral movement – external rotation
Pronation – Arch flattening
- Eversion foot movement
- Knee (tibial) movement – Internal rotation
- Viewpoint: from the front
- Femoral movement – Internal rotation
Deviation 2: Hip adduction/hiking
One hip is elevated above the other due to lateral tilt of pelvis (me)
Deviation 3: Pelvic Tilting
Anterior pelvic tilt: The anterior and superior portion of the pelvis rotates forward and downward from the sagittal view
- Pouring water out of the front of a bucket
- Tight hip flexors. Associated with a sedentary lifestyle and spending lots of time sitting.
Posterior Pelvic Tilt: The superior and posterior portion of the pelvis rotates backward and downward.
- Pouring water out of the back of a bucket
- Dominant/tight rectus abdominis and tight hamstrings
Deviation 4: Shoulder Position & Thoracic Spine
Depression, elevation, abduction, adduction, downward rotation, and upward rotation
SUSPECTED OVERLY TIGHT/SHORTENED MUSCLES
Shoulders that are not level – Tight/overactive Upper trapezius, rhomboids, and levator scapula
Asymmetry to midline – flexed side/lateral trunk flexors
Forward rounded shoulders (protracted) – Upper trapezius, Serratus anterior and anterior scapulohumeral muscles
Depressed chest/kyphosis – Pectoralis minor, internal obliques, rectus abdominis, and shoulder adductors
Medially rotated humorous – latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major, subscapularis
Deviation 5: Forward Head
The forward head position – Overactive/tight upper trapezius, cervical spine extensors, and levator scapulae.
5 Movements of ADL
- Bending & Lifting
- Single- Leg Movements
- Push Movements
- Pull Movements
- Rotational Movements
Lift and bend (Movement Screens)
COMPENSATIONS
- Knees move inward in the anterior view
- Tight/overactive hip adductors and TFL(Tensor Fascia Latae)
- Lengthened/underactive gluteus Maximus and medius
- When the movement initiates at the knees sagittal view
- Not enough glute activation
- Indicates hip flexor and quadriceps dominance
- Back arches extensively in sagittal view
- Tight/overactive latissimus dorsi, back extensors, and hip flexors
- Weak/underactive rectus abdominis, core, hamstrings, and gluteal group
- Back rounds forward in the sagittal view (Has the same focus as number three)
- Underactive/weak upper back extensors
- Overactive/tight Teres major (front shoulder), Pec minor and major and latissimus dorsi
- Heels come off ground
- Overactive plantar flexors (calve muscle)
The hurdle step (Movement Screens)
COMPENSATIONS
- Inward leg hip rotation in the anterior view
- Raised leg internal rotators or a tight stance leg
- Raised leg external rotators or an underactive stance leg
- The hiking of the raised hip from the anterior view
- A tight stance leg hip flexors (Will limit the posterior hip rotation during the raise)