Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “posture”
The therapist performed a static assessment of the client’s posture and noted the typical upper crossed syndrome with a hyperkyphotic thoracic spine, a hypolordotic lower cervical spine, a hyperlordotic upper cervical spine, protracted head, protracted scapulae, and medially (internally) rotated arms.
Following are ten of the most common dysfunctional postural patterns and injuries that may occur with smart phone (cell/mobile phone) use.
Muscle memory describes the concept that musculature contracts in patterns for both posture and motion, and these patterns reside in the nervous system.
A weighted vest is far more than just a leg training tool. It acts as a comprehensive, full-body resistance system that simultaneously challenges your core, posture, lower body, and cardiovascular health.
Postural assessment: Good posture is balanced and symmetrical & does not place excessive stress on the body. Bad posture is asymmetrical and/or imbalanced.
A tension headache is caused by excessive pulling force of tight muscles in the back of the neck that exert tension on their attachments on the head.
By learning the principles of spinal biomechanics, patients and healthcare professionals can better identify the causes of pain and develop strategies that support lasting relief.
Self care for a herniated disc: avoid postures/activities that increase stress upon the disc and stretching/strengthening the musculature around the disc.
The gluteus medius is an incredibly important muscle. It is functionally important at the hip joint, especially with frontal-plane mechanics. And this can have implications with dysfunctional movement patterns (e.g., Trendelenburg gait) as well as postural distortion patterns of scoliosis. And just as fascinating is to see the relationship between glute medius structure and function at the hip joint and compare it to the structure and function of the deltoid at the shoulder joint. Indeed, the gluteus medius can be described as the deltoid of the hip.
The rhomboids are unusually important to be assessed and appropriately treated because of their involvement in what is likely the most common postural distortion pattern in the human body, upper crossed syndrome.
Learn everything about the pectoralis minor muscle — its anatomy, attachments, scapular functions, role in upper crossed syndrome, pectoralis minor syndrome (thoracic outlet syndrome), palpation technique, and stretching. Essential for massage therapists and manual therapy clinicians.
Especially effective for the pectoralis musculature is to use pin and stretch technique. With the client/patient supine and positioned toward the side of the table, pin the musculature with your finger pads as you bring the client/patient’s abducted arm off the side of the table and down into horizontal extension.
When stretching the pectoralis musculature in a doorway, it is helpful to place the hand/forearm against the doorframe at various heights so that different aspects of the pectoralis musculature are preferentially stretched.
This article examines the primary drivers of postural breakdown, how compensatory patterns develop and self-reinforce, and where spinal segmental function fits into the picture for manual therapists and movement professionals working with this population.
Good posture is defined as a balanced posture that is symmetrical and does not place excessive stress on the tissues of the body.
Following are the seven most common postural self-care advice tips for the neck that we should give our clients/patients.
With any imbalanced posture (postural distortion pattern), including text neck posture, asymmetrical pathomechanical forces are placed into the tissues of the body. These forces have to have an effect. I believe it is impossible to argue that pathomechanics do not lead to dysfunction.
The neck and head do not contribute to the generation of pressure, so head and neck posture should be whatever is most comfortable and least stressful. Forward head posture, a common postural distortion imbalance pattern that occurs is caused by a flexion of the head and neck.
We often blame digital devices for bad posture, but before the advent of computers, typical postures for reading and writing were often far from ideal.
Comprehensive spine care goes beyond relief of the pain and is concerned with proper diagnosis, specific treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation.
Where does muscle memory for baseline resting tone reside? It resides in the nervous system, the grand master controller of muscular function.
Assessment of lower crossed syndrome is made by the characteristic postural dysfunction of increased anterior pelvic tilt with hyperlordotic lumbar spine.
Think of your spine like a skyscraper. Your core is the foundation. Your posture muscles are the steel beams. Rehab is the maintenance crew making sure both stay solid.
The first and most obvious sign of upper crossed syndrome (named by Vladimir Janda) is the characteristic postural dysfunction of protracted scapulae, medially (internally) rotated humeri, hyperkyphotic (overly flexed) upper thoracic spine, and a protracted (anteriorly held) head.
Neural Plasticity explains how the nervous system learns and patterns our postures and movement patterns, as well as our memories and sensitivity to pain.
Shoulder impingement syndrome is a condition in which the distal tendon of the supraspinatus and the subacromial bursa become impinged between the head of the humerus and the acromion process of the scapula. Following are the six major causes of shoulder impingement syndrome.
Two opposing muscle groups, the “facilitated” muscles that are locked short and the “inhibited” muscles that are locked long.
Thoracic dishing is a postural distortion pattern in which a part of the thoracic spine has a reverse curve of lordosis (extension) instead of the usual kyphosis (flexion). In this free Digital COMT video, Dr. Joe Muscolino explains this condition and how to treat it with manual therapy. Enjoy!
Elongation of the spine is often spoken of by Pilates instructors. But what exactly is elongation of the spine and how is it achieved biomechanically?
If consistent manual therapy care is given, including heat, massage, and stretching, lower crossed syndrome responds very well to treatment.
