Posture and Core stability Flashcards
skeletal, muscular and neural factors that can cause posture issues
poor exercise technique and/or exercise programming repetitive working patterns they way we stand leisure activities genetics injury age emotional issues environmental factors
optimum posture definition
the state of musculoskeletal balance whereby the body can carry its own weight and that of gravity with minimal muscular effort and limited joint compressions and shearing forces
static posture
refers to body’s alignment when standing, sitting or lying
normally assessed using the line of gravity to determine stress that gravity places on the body in such a posture and how balanced each body segment is relative to neighbouring segments
dynamic posture
body’s alignment whilst moving
formed by a series of actions and reactions
postural adjustments are made while moving which are based on feedback from sensory receptors and anticipation based on learning from similar tasks that have been previously completed
3 posture control mechanisms
passive, active, neutral
passive (posture mechanism)
passive musculoskeletal sub-system comprises of a variety of structures, including bones, ligaments, joint capsules, connective tissue, cartilage, spinal discs and the passive mechanical properties of the muscles and fascia.
this subsystem creates tension and stability through passive opposition to movement
the stretchy elements (muscle, fascia and tendons) can store and then return elastic energy
the bones can acts as levers to transfer force from place to place
all work done by this subsystem is on a ‘for free’ basis because it does not require any metabolic energy to be expended
active (posture mechanism)
active musculoskeletal subsystem consists of skeletal muscles
energetically expensive because muscles require energy to contract whether or not they are working to prevent or create movement
neural (posture mechanism)
consists of various sensory receptors
sensory receptors detect changes and the nerves send signals from the receptors to the motor units to fire as is required to recruit
birth defects contributing to postural deformities
achondroplasia - bone growth disorder that causes dwarfism. sufferers also often present with lordosis
congenital kyphosis - lump of spine which presents at birth which becomes worse with growth
spina bifida - when a baby’s spinal cord doesn’t develop correctly, causing a gap in the spine commonly associated with kyphosis
environmental/lifestyle factors contributing to postural deformities
poor postural awareness
poor diet - affecting bone mineral density
poor or unsuitable footwear
uneven carrying of load = overuse and underuse of muscles cause joints to become misaligned
pregnancy alters mother centre of gravity. hormonal changes create joint laxity
obesity alters centre of gravity. as the pelvis tilts anteriorly, the lumbar curvature increases = increased risk of developing lordosis
overuse and underuse of specific muscles
gravity and posture
in an upright and optimally aligned posture, the centre of gravity is deep in pelvic region, slightly anterior and between the first and second sacral vertebrae
line of gravity is a vertical line which passes through the centre of gravity
the neutral spine
‘optimum’ spinal position
will prevent joint and ligament damage within the vertebral column, increase biomechanical efficiency of body and enable the effective transmission of forces through the pelvis from activities that involve either impact or axial loading
lordosis
also referred to as 'hyper lordosis' also known as 'lower cross(ed) syndrome' exaggerated curve in lumbar spine in many cases also accompanied with some degree of kyphosis increased risk of lower back pain and hamstring injuries tight muscles in need of stretching: - hip flexors - erector spine - quadratus lumborum weak muscles in need of strengthening: - hamstrings - gluteals (ideally in isolation) - core stabilisers (esp transverse abs) - rectus abdominis
Kyphosis
/ ‘hyper-kyphosis’
excessive curvature of upper thoracic and lower cervical region
/ ‘hump’, ‘Dowagers Hump’, ‘upper cross(ed) syndrome’
common causes = neuromuscular disorders, poor postures
people with severe kyphosis, the vertebra often becomes wedge shaped which can be from a trauma related fracture or from infection or tumour
‘Schuermann’s Disease’ is a cause of kyphosis during development - anterior aspects of thorax do not develop at same speed as posterior segments
tight muscles in need of stretching:
- pectoralis major
- upper trapezius
weak muscles in need of strengthening:
- lower trapezius
Flat Back
not as common as lordosis or kyphosis
most frequent in ectomorph body type
simple to identify a sufferers will appear to lean forward when standing and walking + usually have little shape in gluteal area
largely created by forward inclination of leg as hip shifts anteriorly, causing lumbar to flatten. head position often forward with cervical spine slightly extended
tight muscles in need of stretching:
- hamstrings
- rectus abdominis
weak muscles in need of strengthening:
- erector spinae in lumbar region - develop through a full range of motion
- hip flexors (if posterior tilt is present)
good idea to perform posture training with such clients using a plumb line type posture
Sway Back
commonly confused with lordosis because will appear to have abnormal curvature of lumbar spine
anterior hip displacement and posterior displacement of the thorax places strain on the spinal ligament usually results in spinal laxity
women suffer more than men, especially when high heels worn frequently - elevated heel causes the pelvic girdle to move anteriorly = posterior lean to maintain balance
tight muscles in need of stretching:
- hamstrings
- internal obliques
weak muscles in need of strengthening:
- external obliques
- hip flexors
plumb line type posture training
Scoliosis
concerned with lateral and transverse plane deviations whilst others are sagittal plane concerns
spine cannot laterally flex without rotating, therefore involves rotation
may be caused by hereditary conditions, birth defects or develop from medical issue
mild scoliosis may also be acquired from factors like lifestyle, occupation, or sport.
more common in females - esp in puberty = spine grows asymmetrically into a lateral curve that may be accompanied by some degree of rotation - ‘idiopathic’
should be emphasis on unilateral training approaches = both sides are strengthened equally
medical conditions and postural disorders
there are a variety of medical conditions and spinal disorders associated with chronic and untreated postural deviations including:
- a loss of functional range of movement
- herniated disc
- facet joint pain/dysfunction
- scoliosis
- spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal)
- osteoarthritis in load-bearing joints
- ankylosing spondylitis (spinal arthritis)
- spondylisthesis (anterior slipping of the vertebra)
the core
comprises of all the muscles involved in providing stability to axial skeleton.
there is some debate as to which muscles specifically form the core, those which are universally accepted include:
- external obliques
- internal obliques
- rectus abdominis
- transverse abdominis
- erector spinae
- multifidus
- quadratus lumborum
collectively speaking, the core performs a variety of essential roles, including:
- contain and protect the visceral organs
- to provide essential mobility for the spine so that spinal tissues to be nourished
- to stabilise the upper portion of the body over the lower portion
- to control the pelvic-lumbar relationship
core stability
describes the ability to move the limbs whilst maintaining an optimal alignment of the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle.
local and global muscles
a key stabilisation consideration is the relationship between ‘local’ muscles (deep stabilising muscles) and ‘global’ muscles (larger, more superficial muscles that produce movement).
muscles closer to the spine have a limited range of movement = mechanical disadvantage for movement production.
when muscular imbalances exist between global and local muscles of a joint, passive structures like spine and ligaments are placed under tension. other muscles are recruited to compensate which continues the muscular imbalances. = synergistic dominance
eg glutes and hamstrings (gluteal amnesia)
local primary core stability muscles
transverse abdominis multifidus quadratus lumborum internal obliques pelvic floor diaphragm