Posture and Gait Flashcards
Define Base of Support
area bounded posteriorly by the tips of the heels and anteriorly by a line joining the tips of the toes
Define Center of Gravity
also called COM
point where mass of body is centered
Define postural control
maintenance of COM over BOS to control body’s orientation in space and stabilize head w/respect to vertical to orient gaze
what 2 responses enable postural control?
reactive (compensatory) response
proactice (anticipatory) response
what are reactive (compensatory) responses?
responses that occur as reactions to external forces that displace the body’s COM
what are proactive (anticipatory) responses?
responses that occur in anticipation of internally generated destabilizing forces
how much postural sway is normal?
7 mm during quiet stance
COP can be mapped to determine sway
what is the clinical relevance of postural sway?
increased sway = increase fall risk due to COM nearing/getting outside of BOS
what is the difference between sensory and mechanical perturbations?
sensory = may be caused by altering visual input
mechanical = displacement causing changes in the relationship of the body’s COM to BOS
what are muscle synergies/strategies (pertaining to postural control)?
centerally organized patterns of muscle activity that occur in response to perturbations of standing postures
what is the pattern for an ankle strategy? Hip strategy?
ankle = distal-to-proximal pattern
hip = proximal-to-distal pattern
what are 2 changes in support stategies?
- stepping strategies
- grasping strategies
what is the goal of changes in support strategies?
move/enlarge the body’s BOS so that it remains under the COM
it is the only strategy that is successful with large perturbations
how can you define equilibrium with respect to internal/external forces?
sum of internal and external forces equal to zero
what occurs if the line of gravity (LoG) passes through a joint axis?
no torque is created around the joint
what occurs if the LoG passes at a distance from the joint axis?
external gravitation moment
this results in rotation around the joint axis unless it is opposed by a counterbalancing internal moment/muscle contraction
Direction depends on the ________ of the ________ in relation to the ___________
location
LoG
joint axis
if the LoG is anterior to the joint axis, the external moment will cause what?
anterior motion of the proximal segment supported by that joint
what are 3 keys to a successful postural assessment?
- assess from multiple angles
- remove obstructive clothing
- observe more than the area of complaint
Long-term deviation of the LoG passing through/around joint axis will result in __________
structural changes
Describe the Ideal Standing Posture
ideal alignment palce the LoG:
- through external auditory meatus
- midway through shoulder
- slightly posterior to center of hip joint
- slightly anterior to axis of knee joint
- slightly anterior to lateral malleolus
As the LoG passes anterior to the lateral malleolus, what are the external and internal moments?
external = pulling into dorsiflexion
internal = coutner w/plantarflexion (no passive structures contribute, active contraction of solues and gastro)
as the LoG passes anterior to the knee joint, what are the external and internal moments?
external = pull into extension
internal = counter w/flexion
(prevent knee hyperextension by passive tension of posterior joint capsule and associated ligaments and active contraction of hamstrings and gastroc)
as the LoG passes posterior to the hip joint, what are the external and internal moments?
external = pull into extension
internal = counter w/flexion
(passive tension of hip ligaments and active contraction of hip flexors)
what is the ideal posture at the lumbosacral joint?
LoG passes through the body of the L5 causing a slight extension moment
creates shear force rather than a true torque
opposed by anterior longitudinal ligament, iliolumbar ligament, facet joint approximation
As the LoG passes through the external auditory meatus and anterior to the axis of the head, what are the external and internal moments?
external = flexion of cervical spine
internal = extension of cervical spine
(passive tension of ligamentum nuchae, tectorial membrane, and posterior facet joint capsules)
(active contraction of cervical extensors)
Describe the ideal standing posture from the posterior view
- Midline
- head
- spine
- feet evenly spaced
- Shoulder and scapulae
- scapulae lie flat on thorax
- approximately between T2-T7
- approximately 4 inches apart
describe the ideal standing posture from the anterior veiw
- alignment of knees
- patellae face directly forward
- slight physiological valgus
- alignment of ankles
- neutral, neither supinated nor pronated
- alignment of feet
- heels separated by ~3 inches
- out-toeing 8-10 degrees