Posture

LOSER PHYSIO
 INTRODUCTION
• WHAT IS POSTURE
• CLINICAL EVALUATION OF POSTURE
• COMMON POSTURAL DEVIATIONS

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 WHAT IS POSTURE

• The position of the body at a given

point in time
• Ideal posture
– Characterized by specific landmarks
being aligned with the force of gravity,
keeping the body as close to
physiological equilibrium as possible

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 CLINICAL EVALUATION
OF POSTURE
• Views of Postural Inspection
– Lateral view
– Anterior view
– Posterior view
• Inspection of Leg length
Discrepancy
• Palpation
– Lateral aspect
– Anterior aspect
– Posterior aspect
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Views of Postural
Inspection

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Assessment of Ideal
Posture

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 Lateral View
• Determinations of the anterior and
posterior alignment of the body relative
to the frontal plane
• Alignment relative to plumb line (bisects)
– Auditory meatus
– Acromion process
– Mid thoracic region
– Greater trochanter
– Lateral femoral condyle (slightly anterior)
– Lateral malleolus (slight posterior)
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 Anterior View
• Bisects the midline of the body in
sagittal plane
• Alignment relative to plumb line (bisects)
– Head
– Chest
– Umbilicus

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 Posterior View
• Plumb line should be equal distance from
both feet, bisecting spinal column or
trunk and head
• Alignment relative to plumb line (bisects)
– Occipital protuberance
– Cervical spinous processes
– Scapular borders
– Thoracic spinous processes
– Lumbar spinous processes
– Median sacral crests
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Classification of Body
Types
 Task

Each students in class should be divided

according to their body type, and explain
why?
What is Plumb-line test?
Uses?
Palpation

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 Lateral Aspect
• Pelvic position
• Palpate ASIS and PSIS on the same side
• Relationship between ASIS and PSIS,
normally 8-10°

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 Anterior Aspect
• Patellar position
• Iliac crest heights
• ASIS heights
• Lateral malleolus and fibular head
heights
• Shoulder heights

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 Posterior Aspect
• PSIS positions
• Spinal alignments
• Scapular
positions

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COMMON POSTURAL
DEVIATIONS
• FOOT AND ANKLE
– Hyperpronation
– Hypersupination
• KNEE
– Genu recurvatum
– Genu varum
– Genu valgum

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• SPINAL COLUMN
– Hyperlordotic posture
– Kypholordotic
posture
– Swayback posture
– Flat back posture
– Scoliosis

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• SHOULDER AND SCAPULAR
– Forward shoulder posture
– Scapular winging
• HEAD AND CERVICAL SPINE
– Forward head posture

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Lordosis / Good / Sway
Back
 Hyperlordotic Posture
• Increase in the anterior curve of the
lumbar spine
• Tighten or shortened hip flexor
muscles
• Anterior pelvic tilt
• General concavity viewed from behind

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Lordosis

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During Extension

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 Kypholordotic Posture
• Increase in total lumbar
lordosis
• Compensatory increase in
thoracic kyphosis
• Tighten or shortened hip
flexor muscles or back
extensors
• Anterior pelvic tilt

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 Swayback Posture

• Tightens or
shortens hip
extensors
• Posterior pelvic tilt
• Genu recurvatum

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 Flat Back Posture

• Tightens or shortens hip

extensors
• Posterior pelvic tilt
• Flexed lumbar spine (↓
lumbar lordosis)
• Extended thoracic spine
(↓ thoracic kyphosis)

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 Scoliosis

• Lateral curve of the vertebral column

– Curve is named according to the convexity
– If the curve is convex to the left: left
scoliotic curve
– “C” curves or compound “S” curves

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Scoliosis Curve Patterns

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Adams’ Position

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Cobb’s Angle

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 Forward Shoulder
Posture
• Tightened, shortened,
overdeveloped anterior
shoulder girdle muscles
• Large breast
development
• Humeral head displaced
anteriorly

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 Scapular Winging

• Weakness of serratus
anterior muscle
• Weakness of middle
and lower trapezius
muscles
• Trauma to the long
thoracic nerve

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 Forward Head Posture

• Extension of upper
cervical spine
• Flexion of lower
cervical spine
• Forward shoulder

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