Posture Flashcards
the position of your body parts in relation to each other at any given time
Posture
- Standing still
- As the body moves from one spot to another
how are these referred to?
It can be both static and dynamic
- Think of your spine and body as blocks
- If you start building blocks one on top of another, the column would remain stable
- However – build them off center and they will ONLY stay stable if…?
the block on top of the other block remains within the base of support
In the human body, each joint involved in _______-_______ can be considered a postural segment
weight-bearing
In what situations are the lower extremities postural segments
push up or all fours
- The spinal alignment is not completely straight but has a series of counterbalancing_______-________ curves
- The curves must be maintained at rest and during activity
- Act as ______ ______and reduce the amount of injury
- anterior-posterior
- shock absorbers
The cervical and lumbar curves are _______ ________and counter the thoracic and sacral convex curves posteriorly
concave posteriorly
- Remember, a curve has 2 sides to it, _______ and ________
- Determine which side you are looking at before describing the curve
concave and convex
When one or more curves in the spine change, what are the results?
poor posture results
increased lumbar curve
Sway back
decreased thoracic or lumbar curve
Flat back
- increased posterior thoracic curve
- In the majority of cases, if you have an increased lumbar curve, you have an increased thoracic curve
Kyphosis ( hunchback)
any lateral curvature in the spine
Scoliosis
where are the primary curves of the spine?
The thoracic and sacral curves
secondary curves are what part of spine?
cervical and lumbar regions
The pelvis should be neutral
ASIS and PSIS are level with each other in what plane
transverse
The pelvis should be neutral
ASIS and the symphysis pubis are in the same what plane?
vertical
When the the pelvis is_______, the lumbar curve has the appropriate amount of curvature
neutral
When the pelvis is tilted anteriorly, there is an increased amount of lumbar ?
curvature or lordosis
When the pelvis is tilted posteriorly, there is a decreased amount of ?
lumbar curvature or flat back
What is the force couple that controls the pelvis laterally?
one side glut medius and minimus/ other side erecter spinae and QL
During walking, the pelvis dips from side to side as weight is shifted from ?
stance to swing phase
With weight evenly distributed on both legs, the pelvis should remain level from side to side with both_______ being at the same level
ASIS
- An abnormal lateral pelvic tilt can occur if both legs are not of equal length
- what should you Check for if you see the pelvis not being level
leg length discrepancy
A Leg length discrepancy can cause what in the spine.
scoliosis
Muscle contractions are primarily responsible for keeping the body in the upright position in both static and dynamic positions
Primary (most involved) antigravity mms are the?
Hip and knee extensors
Trunk and neck extensors
Muscle contractions are primarily responsible for keeping the body in the upright position in both static and dynamic positions
Secondary antigravity mms are what?
- Trunk and neck flexors
- Lateral benders
- Hip abductors/adductors
- Ankle pronators/supinators
If all of your muscles were to relax, your whole body would?
collapse
Ankle plantarflexors/dorsiflexors are important in controlling?
postural sway
An anterior-posterior motion of the upright body caused by motion occurring primarily at the?
ankles
constant displacement and correction of the center of gravity within the base of support
- Sway forward, what muscle are involved?
- Sway backward,what muscle are involved?
- plantarflexors kick in to control
- dorsiflexors kick in to control
constant displacement and correction of the center of gravity within the base of support
Sway backward, what muscle are involved?
dorsiflexors kick in to control
A high center of gravity and small base of support tend to increase or decrease the amount of postural sway?
increase
A low center of gravity and a wider base of support will tend to increase or decrease the amount of postural sway?
decrease
Good Posture = Good alignment
how is this good for the body?
- Decreases the amount of stress placed on bones, ligaments, muscles and tendons
- Improves function and decreases the amount of muscular energy needed to keep the body upright
how does proper posture Improve function and how does it decrease the amount of muscular energy needed to keep the body upright?
- If the knee is in full extension, less muscle contraction is needed to keep the knee from buckling
- When the knee is slightly bent, more muscles must contract
- Muscles at the hip and ankle must work harder to contract and keep the body’s COG over the BOS
how can you Describe Posture?
- Easier to describe in a static position because except for a slight amount of sway, the body is not moving
- Many of the guidelines for static posture can be applied to dynamic posture
- Many times, posture is assessed with the use of a plumb line
Posture is typically measured using a?
A string, hung from the ceiling with a weight on the bottom making a perfect vertical line of gravity
plumb line
- The plumb line should be aligned so it passes slightly in front of the lateral malleolus
- For ideal posture, the plumb line should pass through what landmarks?
- Earlobe
- Tip of the acromion process
- Anterior to the thoracic vertebral bodies
- Through the lumbar vertebral bodies
- Level with the pelvis
- Through the greater trochanter of the hip (slightly posterior to the hip joint)
- Slightly posterior to the patella with the knees in extension
- Slightly anterior to the lateral malleolus with the ankle joint in neutral position between dorsiflexion and plantarflexion
Standing position viewed from the anterior position, the plumb line should be aligned to pass through the midsagittal plane of the body, thus dividing the body into 2 equal halves
Segments to look at:
- Head should be extended, not flexed or hyperextended
- Shoulders should be level, not elevated or depressed
- Sternum should be centered in the midline
- Hips should be level with both ASIS’ in the same plane
- Legs should be slightly apart
- Knees should be level and not bowed or knock-kneed
- Ankles should have normal arches in the feet
- Feet should have a slightly outward toeing
When looking from the posterior, the plumb line should be aligned to pass through the midsagittal plane dividing the body into two equal halves
Look at the following segments as follows:
- Head should be extended not flexed, hyperextended
- Shoulders should be level and not elevated or depressed
- Spinous processes should be centered in the midline
- Hips should be level with both PSIS’ in the same plane
- Legs should be slightly apart
- Knees should be level and not bowed or knock-kneed
- Calcaneous should be straight
Good postural alignment when sitting is important because sitting can place a great deal of stress on the ?
intervetebral disks
Disk pressure in sitting increases by slightly less than _____of the amount of disk pressure in the standing position
half
Shifting weight to the front of the vertebrae will increase or decrease the amount of pressure on the disks?
increase
As a person leans forward, disk pressure increases or decreases?
increases
As a person reaches and/or picks up a weight, disk pressure farther increases or decreases as the weight and/or lever arm increases
increases
Disk pressure is least when ?,
it increases as you stand and
increases more when you?
- lying supine
- sit
Lumbar Curvature in Sitting:
If the lumbar curve is decreased (such as in sitting) with the back unsupported, the pressure in the intervertebral disks and posterior structures increases or decreases?
increases
what muscle is the problem if you see winged scapulae?
serratus anterior
A chair with the seat inclined anteriorly, such as a kneeling stool, can increase or decrease disk pressure by tilting the pelvis forward slightly?
How does this help?
decrease
- Helps to maintain the lumbar curve
- However, since the back is unsupported, there is more muscular activity needed to keep the body upright
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