Introduction:
Posture is the position of the body in space. A set of anatomical structures control posture. Posture describes how the spine is aligned with the head, shoulders, and hips. Good posture refers to a neutral spine. Good posture reduces stress on the surrounding muscles, joints, and ligaments. It also keeps the body flexible and maintains good balance. Poor posture can affect the overall appearance of an individual. It also affects confidence and general health.
What Is Posture?
Posture is an automatic and unconscious position. Posture is controlled and maintained by anatomical structures, including muscles, skeletal, vestibular, visual, and skin systems. Posture is the one that maintains the balance of the body in dynamic movements and during stasis.
What Are the Types of Postures?
Based on motor function, posture can be divided into static and dynamic.
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Static Posture - The alignment and maintenance of the body in certain positions like sitting, standing, kneeling, lying down, etc.
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Dynamic Posture - The ability of the body to maintain a balanced, stable posture while the body is moving.
Postures can also be divided into good and poor postures.
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Good Posture - A position in which there is less stress in all the joints involved
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Poor Posture - In poor posture, the spine is placed in unnatural positions, causing stress to the surrounding supporting structures
Body posture can also be considered in the three referral planes, including sagittal, coronal, and transverse. Usually, the coronal and transverse planes are considered symmetrical. Therefore, a good posture is mainly considered along the sagittal plane.
Some posture types considered along the sagittal plane include:
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Lordotic posture.
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Kyphotic posture.
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Flat back posture.
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Swayback posture.
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Kyphotic-lordotic posture.
What Is a Good and Healthy Posture?
Good posture is a state of muscular and skeletal balance in which the body's supporting structures are protected from progressive deformity and injury, irrespective of standing, sitting, lying down, or other activities. A good posture is ergonomically and mechanically effective during movements and supports the internal organs.
Normal Physiological Curves in the Spine
The normal spine is S-shaped when viewed from the side.
The three normal curves of the spine include
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Lumbar Lordosis - A curve formed by five vertebrae starting from the sacrum. It is posteriorly concave.
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Thoracic Kyphosis - Curve formed by 12 thoracic vertebrae. It forms an anterior concavity.
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Cervical Lordosis - Curve formed by seven vertebrae of the cervical spine. It forms a posterior concavity.
In ideal posture, the line of gravity should pass through the ear lobe, shoulder joint, hip joint, knee joint, and just in front of the ankle.
Features of a healthy, ideal posture.
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The head is horizontal.
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Eye level is in the horizontal plane.
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The chin is positioned just above the sternum.
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Anteriorly inclined pelvis.
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Neutral positioning of the lower limb joints.
What Is Lordotic Posture?
Lordotic posture is characterized by
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Increase in the normal lumbar lordosis
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Increased anterior pelvic tilt.
The lower back appears to be excessively curved inward. The bottom appears to be poking out.
Lordotic posture causes strain in the lower back muscles and increases the risk of injury to the lumbar spine. The abdominal muscles, gluteal muscles, and hamstrings are weakened in this posture. Causes of lordotic posture include prolonged sitting, obesity, injury, and other neuromuscular or genetic conditions.
What Is Kyphotic Posture?
Kyphotic posture is characterized by
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Increase in normal thoracic kyphosis.
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Head protraction (head is moved forward).
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The lower cervical lordosis is flattened or reversed.
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The upper cervical lordosis is increased.
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Shoulders and scapulae are protracted (pulled forward).
Kyphotic posture is also called hunchback. The shoulders are rounded, and the head is leaned forward. Kyphosis is usually caused by poor posture in childhood, which includes slouching, carrying heavy backpacks, etc. Kyphotic posture may cause pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.
What Is Flat-Back Posture?
The flatback posture is characterized by
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Flattened lumbar lordosis.
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The lower part of the thoracic kyphosis is flattened.
The spine's natural curve is minimal or reduced in flat-back posture. The lower back looks straight in this posture, and the head appears slightly pushed forward. Flat-back posture may be congenital, due to surgery, or due to degenerative spine diseases. People with flatback postures find it painful to stand for long periods.
What Is Sway-Back Posture?
Sway-back posture is characterized by
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Increased anterior pelvic shift.
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Longer thoracic kyphosis extends up to the upper part of the lumbar spine.
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Shorter lumbar lordosis.
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Decreased or normal anterior pelvic tilt.
The pelvis appears to have shifted forward and is in front of the shoulder and ankles. The knees tend to lock when standing in this posture, causing cartilage degeneration. Swayback posture causes excessive strain in the lumbar region, resulting in lower back pain and increased disc bulging. Sway-back posture is a habit that requires constant conscious correction of the posture.
What Is Kyphotic-Lordotic Posture?
Kyphotic-lordotic posture is a combination of both kyphotic and lordotic postures. In this posture, the head is poking forward, the shoulders are rounded, the upper back is hunched, and the arch in the lumbar spine is exaggerated. Kyphotic-lordotic posture causes strain in the neck, shoulders, and upper and lower back regions. This posture is often difficult to correct.
What Are the Other Types of Postures?
Forward Head Posture
In forward head posture, the head, along with the ears, is placed in front of the shoulders, and the chin is poking forward. It is caused by hunching over a cell phone, a computer, or a steering wheel. Forward neck posture is also called a tech neck or text neck.
Scoliosis
A deviation in the normal vertical line of the spine, causing sideways curvature of the spine, is called scoliosis. It may be due to the lateral curvature or the rotation of the vertebrae.
Uneven Hips or Shoulders
The individual may appear tilted to one side if one leg is longer.
Opisthotonos
Opisthotonus is an abnormal posture in which the neck, back, and legs contract, which causes the neck to tilt back and the back to be bent backward in a rigid manner.
Decorticate Posture
Decorticate posture is an abnormal posture caused by severe brain damage. In decorticate posture, the person is stiff, arms bent toward the body, fists clenched, and legs held straight.
Decerebrate Posture
Decerebrate posture is also an abnormal posture due to severe brain damage. In this posture, the arms and legs are held straight out, the toes are pointed downward, and the head and neck are arched backward.
Conclusion
Good posture is essential for the body to function healthily. Bad and abnormal postures, in most cases, can be corrected by making lifestyle changes and learning and practicing good posture. A physiotherapist may assess an individual’s body posture and prescribe exercises accordingly. More severe cases need medical attention to rule out underlying conditions.
