HUMAN POSTURE

Human Posture

                                                                    

In this article we defined about human posture. In our research we found that  What is posture?

 Posture is a term used to describe a position of the body or the arrangements of body parts relative to one another .

POSTURE  has been described by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (1947).

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Ideal postures are those assumed to perform an activity in the most efficient manner utilizing the least amount of energy.

 All activity begins with posture and ends with a posture. The relationships between body parts can be controlled voluntarily but to do this would require too much concentration.During normal functioning one's postures and adjustments to postures are automatic and occur quickly you are probably thinking that standing up straight is not easy.

 Most people would intuitively consider postural muscles as those that hold a body upright, standing, against gravity. For perfectly erect standing, however, very little muscle activity is needed. 

Joints are balanced on one another in such a way as to minimize the work necessary to hold one upright against gravity. Posture in these terms is thought of as static. How often do we just stand there?

 People need to move to function and to work, so I will talk of posture on this page as the positions we assume during the day in preparation for other positions we assume. We are always preparing to move whether beta pick up a mouse or walk to the store. In this way we can think of posture as dynamic always changing.                                                                                                                                                                          In order to function optimally, muscles must work at their optimum length and be long enough to allow for coordinated movement.

 Obviously a muscle that is tight will not allow a joint to move through its full range of motion. To avoid joint injury, joints must work within a range that they can maintain stability.

As we move from one posture to another we must learn to do it efficiently, within this stable range or risk injury. A physical therapist will assess dynamic posture by examining each posture assumed individually and observing how an individual transitions between each posture. Why is examining dynamic posture important?

It is usually during these transitions from one posture to another that injury occurs. Probably one of the most important times for one to maintain good posture is during lifting. The chest is up, feet shoulder width apart, head centered over the shoulders, the item to be lifted close to one's base of support, and hips an angle so that one feels like one is pushing through the floor. Deviation from takes one's joints and muscles outside of their optimal range of performance and increase risk of injury.  

Posture requires coordination

                                                                                                         The movement between one static posture and another requires the coordinated timing  and recruitment of muscles specific to the task at hand.

 It is a programmed pattern of muscle activity that the body counts on to maintain stability.

 Some of these programmed patterns of movement are hard wired in the central nervous system, others are learned.

 For instance, when we open a heavy door there is a coordinated sequence of muscle contractions in your abdominal, back and lower extremity muscles that occurs even before you start pulling on the door with your hand.

 CNS needs to control multiple muscles simultaneously based on corresponding Multi sensory inputs.

The movements controlled by normal reflex mechanisms are very small alterations in the position of the skeleton, shoulders, and pelvis.

  Includes:-

1) Vision input

☆ It can be easily modified by opening & closing the eyes, results in changes in posture stability.

2) Vestibular input

☆  vestibular information transmitted to brain provides the head orientation relative to gravity.

3) Proprioceptive input

☆it gives us information on the static & dynamic components of joint position /orientation for posture control.

4) Tactile somatosensory input

☆ tactile cues are conveyed to the information from the soles of feet.

Information is based on pressure on the sole,& center of pressure is very important cue for the maintenance of stable stance.

☆Because of this we cannot look at the muscles' functioning without looking at the sensory input. 

   
 Poor movement patterns can result from any of the following: 

Causes Of Poor Posture 

Joint dysfunction

Pain

Stress

Central nervous system disorder/injury

Overwork or over training

Prolonged postures or repetition of the same activity

The movements controlled by normal reflex mechanisms are very small alterations in the position of the skeleton, shoulders, and pelvis.

 These normal reflex mechanisms are learned as an infant and become automatic reactions to changes in posture.