Posture

The word "posture" is formed from the root "-san-", cf. words such as “ dignity ”, “ dignity ovnik”, “join dignity ” ^{[2] [3]} . So, at V.I. Dahl :

“SAN - a high rank or rank, a distinguished position, a meritorious dignity, honor ... || Star camp, posture , growth ... ". ^[four]

There are also variants of folk etymology , not confirmed by serious etymological studies. So, one can meet the assertion that the word “posture” comes from the Sanskrit word “ asana ” ^[5] , which means sitting position of the body, a certain posture, etc. There are also attempts to raise the word “posture” to the word “axis” , based on the fact that posture is the optimal alignment of all parts of the skeleton : skull , spine , belts of the upper and lower extremities , chest and their components in interaction ^[6] .

English term

English dictionaries translate the term "posture" as carriage, bearing (which rather means straightening , posture ), but more often use the scientific term " posture ".

So the American teacher of physical education Jesse Bancroft in his book "The Posture of School Children" ("Posture of schoolchildren") writes:

"The term" posture "is used in this book to denote the habitual carriage of the body, especially in the erect position. It involves the correct development and contours of spine, chest, shoulders, and other main segments, as well as their relation to each other in the upright position. ^[7]

“The term“ Posture ”is used in this book to refer to the usual alignment (the manner of holding the body), mainly in a standing position. It includes the correct development of the bends of the spine, chest, shoulder girdle and other segments of the body, as well as their relative position in the vertical position of the body. ”(Translation)

The classic Staffel diagrams are known, illustrating various types of posture:

The first, basic type . The physiological bends of the spine are well defined and have a uniformly wavy appearance. The vertical axis starts from the middle of the skull, passes immediately at the posterior edge of the lower jaw, goes tangentially to the top of the cervical lordosis, descends, slightly cutting off the lumbar lordosis, passes through the middle of the line connecting the centers of the femoral heads, runs in front of the knee joints and ends a little longer from the line connecting the shopar joints.

Violation of posture in the sagittal plane include the other types of posture according to Staffel:

The second type of posture: flat or flat-concave back. The curvature of the spine is barely outlined; it has an infantile character. The vertical axis penetrates the spinal column along its entire length and passes through the line connecting the Shopar joints. The chest is flattened, the scapula is pterygoid separated from the chest, the stomach is retracted. The elastic properties of the spine are reduced. It is easily damaged by mechanical stress and is very prone to lateral curvature.

The third type of posture is a round back. Its main characteristic is an increase in physiological kyphosis of the thoracic region and an increase in compensatory lordosis of the cervical and lumbar regions. The elasticity of the spine is increased. Side curvatures are rare. Some authors describe other types of round back with the inclusion in the kyphotic deformation of the lumbar region and the disappearance of the lumbar lordosis.

The fourth type of posture according to Staffel is a stooped back. Thoracic kyphosis dominates, the remaining curvatures are poorly marked. The vertical axis runs behind the line connecting the centers of the femoral heads. In addition, violations of posture can be noted in the frontal plane. This is, first of all, scoliotic posture. Posture disorders occur in all age groups, reaching 30 percent or more.

Posture is the usual position of a vertically located human body, due to a motor stereotype , skeletal balance and muscle balance.

Posture is defined by the human constitution , its genotype , that is, it is an innate property of a person. However, posture is capable of improvement in the process of individual development ( ontogenesis ) of a person.

The posture of healthy people, despite a number of individual characteristics, has a typical and stable biomechanical and innervation structure and is determined by a motor stereotype, a skeleton development option, muscle balance and a peculiarity of higher nervous activity , including the nature of a person. All of them are genotypically determined. Most often, poor posture is the result of a bad habit or illness .

In a strict scientific understanding, posture is a way to build a biomechanical diagram of a person’s body in an upright position. This construction is determined by a complex of unconditioned reflexes - a motor stereotype. The motor stereotype “builds” from body segments (naturally taking into account the laws of gravity) one or another body structure that is more or less suitable for maintaining vertical position and movement. In an upright position, body segments (head, chest, torso, pelvis, legs) line up relative to each other relative to their skeleton , forming a stable structure that can withstand the inertial forces acting on the body. The dynamics of posture to prevent falling is called skeletal balance.

Muscles move body segments relative to each other. But the muscles should not and cannot be in a state of prolonged tension, so the body seeks to take a position in which support of skeletal muscles is not required. This condition is called the muscular balance of the vertical posture ^[8] . With successful alignment, there should also be no load on the ligamentous apparatus, since the ligaments are not capable of long-term resistance. Not only muscles and ligaments, but also bones should be loaded in accordance with their shape, the load should be directed strictly along the “axis of strength”. Otherwise, the bone under the influence of a long and habitual load will be forced to change its shape in accordance with the loading conditions.

Overload of muscles, ligaments, bones with improper habitual alignment, with poor posture is the cause of discomfort, pain, skeleton diseases.

Posture value

The value of posture is especially great in children during the period of growth and formation of the skeleton. Improper habitual body positions quickly lead to deformities of the spine, chest , pelvis , lower limbs , including the feet. Scoliotic disease and flat feet are an extreme manifestation of such an irregular load. It should be noted a direct relationship between posture and physique. The shape of the spine, the chest, is not only inherited, but also depends on that complex and extremely necessary mechanism for constructing the vertical position of a person’s body when standing, sitting, walking, or running, called posture. The important law of biology “function determines form” is being implemented.

Posture is considered in a variety of aspects (posture and mental health , posture and career ), posture is the subject of study of such sciences as medicine , physical culture , military science , theater , aesthetics , ergonomics , which give the following definitions of posture:

Posture is the orientation in space of a vertically located human body to perform simple and complex movements, determined by the state of muscular and skeletal balance, which protects the supporting structures of the body from injury or progressive deformation, both at rest and during movement.

Posture is an indicator of a person’s health and physical fitness . Good posture is an effective and reliable way to prevent and treat such civilization diseases as back pain and osteochondrosis of the spine , as well as an important career factor.

Posture is a body language , a posture that talks about how a person feels in relation to others, to his life, to himself, individuality , inner position, a sign of profession , social origin . This is his business card, which allows you to accurately recognize a familiar person without seeing his face.

Posture Functions

• The main task of posture is to protect the musculoskeletal system from overload and injury due to the rational alignment of body segments and muscle balance.
• Posture performs a utilitarian task. With proper alignment of body segments, performing simple and complex movements does not cause any special problems, since the amplitude of movements of all joints is maximum.
• Posture is not only a somatic indicator. It is also an indicator of the mental characteristics of a person. The influence of posture on the process of becoming a person is scientifically proven. A person with good posture is more confident in himself, he more attracts the attention of others.

The evolution of posture is one of the important aspects of “posture”, the improvement of the musculoskeletal system of a person in the process of historical development. Posture is a property inherent only to man , the result of an evolutionary process - upright posture. The main historical milestones in the evolution of posture are: upright posture (2 million years so-called); the invention of the chair ( XV century ); mass schooling ( XIX century ); the emergence of a new mass profession - an office worker ( XXI century ). The prominent Canadian physiologist Basmadjan described the significance of this process:

“Among mammals, humans, once acquiring vertical posture, possess the most economical anti-gravity mechanisms. The expenditure of muscle energy with this seemingly least convenient posture is extremely economical. ” ^[9]

In the process of human evolution, signs of uprightness gradually formed: a balanced head fit, S-shaped spine, vaulted foot, wide pelvis, wide and flat chest, massive bones of the lower extremities, the orientation of the shoulder blades in the frontal plane. S-shaped spine is a kind of shock absorber under axial loads. As you know, there is a forward bend in the cervical region - cervical lordosis , a backward bend in the thoracic region - thoracic kyphosis , a forward bend in the lumbar region - lumbar lordosis. Due to natural bends, the strength of the spine to axial load increases. With sharp and excessive loads, the spine “folds” into an S-shape, protecting the discs and ligaments of the spine from injury, and then straightens like a spring. The upright skeleton allows a person to move, unlike other animals, on two legs, transferring weight from the heel to the front of the foot, which turns each step into a balancing exercise. The load is transmitted through the tibia. The fulcrum falls on the toe. The force is created by the Achilles tendon, which, when the muscles of the calves are contracted, raises the heel. The arches of the foot “quench” the inertial loads upon landing, which reach up to 200% of body weight. A natural, balanced head position allows the long axis of the orbits to be facing forward. This is a distinguishing feature of a person from his humanoid counterparts, whose head is suspended on the occipital muscles (anthropologists determine the position of the head by the structure of the base of the skull and cervical vertebrae). The balanced position of the head eliminates the stretching of the back ligaments of the neck and the need for constant tension of the muscles of the neck, mainly, in contrast to animals, the muscles of the upper trapezium. In the process of historical development, mankind has come a difficult way. With the development of civilization, the requirements for the musculoskeletal system changed. If ancient people were either in a vertical or horizontal position (hunting, collecting, fighting, lying, resting), then already in the 17th century 10% of the population performed sedentary work. In the 21st century, the number of such workers increased to 90%. In the process of evolution, man ceased to adapt to the environment and began to adapt the environment to himself, and this could not but affect his posture. The invention of a bench, a chair (this is probably the 15th century ) significantly changed the biomechanics of man, a new problem appeared - "the sitting posture on a chair." A modern person spends most of his time sitting at work, at home, in transport, working, studying, resting, waiting, eating. The sitting position, which is optimal for office work and training, is a difficult test for the musculoskeletal system. It is in this position that the posture most often suffers. It is a prolonged sitting position that causes back pain and causes various diseases. XVIII century - the century of mass schooling . This progressive historical process has a flip side: in 40-80% of children, posture disorders are detected, and in 3-10% of them, various curvatures of the spine, mainly the so-called school scoliosis . ^{[10] [11]} With the development of civilization, the content, organization and methods of human labor are changing. Office workers are a new mass profession, the number of which is more than 60% of the total working population. The need for long-term compliance with a sitting working posture (working at a computer, with documents, with clients) leads to an increase in the number of diseases of the musculoskeletal system of the adult population. The number of such diseases is growing steadily, they are getting younger and this trend is likely to continue in the foreseeable future.

See also the evolution of posture .

Posture is the object of study of a wide variety of sciences ( aesthetics , physiology , biomechanics , medicine , pedagogy , physical education ). Physical education and medicine study the most fully posture.

• So, according to the definition of S.I. Ozhegov, posture is an appearance, a way of holding oneself (about the position of the body, stock of the figure). V. I. Dahl defined good posture as “a combination of harmony, grandeur, beauty” and quoted the proverb: “Without posture, a horse is a cow.”
• Physical culture considers posture in a comprehensive manner ^[12] : both as an indicator of physical development and physical health, and as a factor in increasing movement efficiency, and as a means of preventing sports injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system .
• Medicine considers posture as an indicator of physical health. Posture - features with which a person actively holds the torso in an upright position. Peculiarities of posture are associated, on the one hand, with constitutional conditions, and on the other, with the active activity of muscles under the control of the mental state of the subject. Thus, a person’s posture cannot be considered a purely somatic indicator. It is to a certain extent also an indicator of the mental characteristics of a person. Каждый взрослый имеет определённую, свойственную только ему осанку, характерную для него так же, как, например, форма лица, цвет глаз и т. п. Оценка осанки — важная составная часть исследования больного. ^[13] С плохой осанкой связаны многочисленные проблемы, начиная с детского возраста и до глубокой старости. Это и сколиотическая болезнь детей школьного возраста, и кифосколиозы подростков, и остеохондроз позвоночника у взрослых, а также тяжёлые деформации скелета у пожилых людей и стариков. С плохой осанкой связаны не только заболевания позвоночника, но и заболевания суставов, стопы и внутренних органов.
• С точки зрения науки физиологии , осанка рассматривается как двигательный стереотип (то есть комплекс безусловных и условных рефлексов), который наследуется и совершенствуется в течение индивидуального развития и воспитания .
• Биомеханика рассматривает осанку как комбинацию положений всех суставов и сегментов тела в данный конкретный момент времени. «Осанка это застывшее движение». С точки зрения биомеханики, осанка, определяется скелетным равновесием, и характеризуется распределением центров тяжести отдельных сегментов тела. Осанка есть выражение и масштаб борьбы между силой тяжести и прямым положением тела. Осанка — комбинация положений всех суставов тела в данный конкретный момент времени. Осанка есть сочетание позиций всех суставов тела в некоторый данный момент, и статичное выравнивание тела лучше всего описывается в терминах позиций различных суставов и частей тела. ^[14]
• Школьное образование неразрывно связано с воспитанием и гигиеной осанки. В книге известного педагога Банкрофта «Осанка школьника» «Осанка» обозначает врождённую манеру держать тело, особенно в положении стоя. Она включает в себя правильное формирование позвоночника, груди, плеч и других сегментов тела, а также их отношения друг к другу в вертикальном положении. ^[15] Ещё в начале прошлого столетия, в книге известного американского педагога Джесси Банкрофта «Осанка школьника» отмечена необходимость воспитания осанки для правильного формирования позвоночника, груди, плеч и других сегментов тела, а также формирования их правильного отношения друг к другу.

«Сидячая природа школьных занятий первый и постоянный враг хорошей осанки. Из-за пренебрежительного отношения к физической культуре , школьники переходят из класса в класс с сутулой спиной, выступающими лопатками, наклонённой головой и другими деформациями вызванными школьным обучением».

• В военном деле на первый план выступает утилитарное значение осанки — осанка рассматривается как показатель, влияющий на эффективность действия военнослужащего . Воспитание и коррекция осанки традиционно входит в курс подготовки военнослужащих практически всех армий мира. Так, в руководстве по начальной военной физической подготовке США 1946 г. [1] сказано: «Хорошая осанка очень важна для солдата. Во-первых, солдата часто оценивают по его внешности — мужчина с хорошей осанкой более напоминает хорошего солдата, он более овладевает вниманием окружающих. Во-вторых, общепринятый психологический факт — хорошая осанка связана с хорошим моральным духом — человек с хорошей осанкой чувствует себя лучше и более уверен. Человек с плохой осанкой не может чувствовать себя так уверенно, именно поэтому у него формируется негативная и неудобная поза . В-третьих, хорошая осанка позволяет телу функционировать наиболее эффективно».

Рассмотрим простой пример. Сутулая осанка, в положении сидя (справа изображена хорошая осанка).

Как такую осанку оценил бы физиолог , врач , специалист в области физической культуры или военного дела? Биомеханик обратил бы внимание на смещение центра тяжести головы вперед и на перегрузку верхнегрудного отдела позвоночника . Врач обратил бы внимание на возможность заболевания позвоночника в результате такой перегрузки. Специалист в области физической культуры, прежде всего, указал бы на то, что такая поза недопустима как исходное положение для выполнения даже такого простого упражнения как «поворот головы». При этом возможна травма шейного отдела позвоночника . Для специалиста в области военного дела более значимым было бы ограничение амплитуды поворота головы при сутулой позе и, связанное с этим, снижение эффективности действия военнослужащего.

Осанка — важный показатель, характеризующий физическое развитие человека. Это физическая характеристика человека, которая рассматривается как прямое отражение здоровья и физического развития. От рождения до глубокой старости человек проходит определённые этапы развития. Изменяются формы и пропорции тела, изменяется нервная система и, вместе с ней, формируются, закрепляются и угасают комплексы безусловных и условных рефлексов. Всё это, так или иначе, отражается на осанке. Изменение осанки в процессе индивидуального развития человека — важный аспект физического развития.

Процесс формирования осанки начинается с возраста от 6 до 8 лет и продолжается до возраста от 17 лет до 21 года, по мере созревания нервной системы и формирования устойчивого двигательного стереотипа . В этот период окончательно формируются изгибы позвоночника, своды стопы, выравниваются нижние конечности.

У маленьких детей осанки как таковой ещё нет, физиологические изгибы позвоночника отсутствуют, вертикальная поза неустойчива. В процессе роста ребёнка формируется двигательный стереотип, и в младшем школьном возрасте появляются первые элементы сегментального выравнивания. Однако у детей 6—9 лет осанка неустойчива, мы видим избыточный прогиб поясничного отдела позвоночника, выступающий живот, торчащие лопатки — это норма для 6-9 летних детей. Устойчивая осанка формируется в среднем и старшем школьном возрасте. Окончательно формирование осанки происходит с прекращением роста скелета.

Возраст 8—17 лет — самый важный для формирования осанки период жизни, даже малейшее отклонение в развитии осанки могут привести к тяжёлым деформациям позвоночника и конечностей, именно в этот период «закладываются» будущие болезни позвоночника и суставов. В этом же возрасте наиболее эффективны мероприятия по воспитанию осанки .

With age, the ligaments become more rigid, the muscles lose their elasticity, and the mobility of the joints decreases. By old age, the posture control mechanism ( motor stereotype ) is also deteriorating due to degradation of the nervous system . In this regard, the ability of body segments to align is limited, posture is impaired, and the ability to correct posture is reduced. In the elderly and senile age, the bone structure is disturbed - there is a problem called osteoporosis and the deformation of the skeleton (especially the spine) associated with this process. The most unpleasant manifestations of osteoporosis are almost unprovoked, “accidental” spinal fractures, which often result in the so-called “widow's hump”, which monstrously distorts posture ^[16] . Age-related changes in the musculoskeletal system and nervous system lead to impaired posture, and poor posture, in turn, contributes to the deformation of the skeleton.

Posture is not only the usual position of a person at rest and in motion, but also a sign of a state of health, harmonious development of the musculoskeletal system , attractive appearance, that is, posture is a complex concept.

Posture is a type of motor activity. Preservation under certain conditions of a correct, well-balanced posture of a person is achieved due to its constant correction by precisely dosed strains of numerous muscles of the body. Therefore, success in the formation of correct posture is achieved primarily by strengthening the muscular system, its versatile physical and physiological training.

A person who knows his body well, skillfully controls his muscles, as a rule, walks beautifully, his posture is characterized by composure, harmony, and at the same time relaxed. Such a person holds his head high, beautiful and straight, his shoulders are moderately deployed, his body is in an upright position. ^[17]

Good posture is an effective and reliable way to prevent civilization diseases such as back pain, scoliosis and spinal osteochondrosis . Pointing out the importance of the study of posture in orthopedic diagnostics, the famous Soviet orthopedist Vasily Oskarovich Marx emphasized that “posture is a measure of the state of the whole body” ^[13] . Repetitive or static loads can change the structure of the organs of the musculoskeletal system. The constant direction and magnitude of the load with the usual alignment of the skeleton have a significant impact on the structure and shape of the bone. This is especially noticeable during periods of life that are sensitive (sensitive) to the load, for example, during the period of skeletal growth in children and adolescents. That is why, a violation of posture is attributed to the leading etiological factors of school scoliosis . Posture is rightly seen as an indicator of spinal health, and this is an important, but far from complete, picture of posture. Posture also relates to the function and shape of the lower limbs , which are loaded when standing and walking the joints , as well as the foot.

The famous law of biology states: "Function determines the form . "

The following postulates, tested by time and practice, follow from this:

• "Mechanical stresses completely determine all the details of the structure"
• “The bone grows mainly in the direction of traction and perpendicular to the pressure plane”

^[18]

The load structure of everyday movements affects both the growth of the child’s skeleton (for example, the more loaded jerky, usually right, leg grows faster) and the structure of the skeleton in adults. For example, the external shape of bones can change under the influence of various sports or professional movements. They become more massive and thicker due to an increase in bone mass in the most loaded areas.

Static load can have a negative effect on the structure of the bone, causing its deformation. According to the well- known Hueter-Volkmann law, compressive loads slow down skeletal growth, and tensile ones accelerate them. For example, following this law, the limited asymmetry of the vertebra as a result of local dysplasia leads to an increase in deformation and to the spread of progressive deformation to a large part of the spine, closing the vicious circle of scoliotic disease .

We see something similar with the syndrome of pathological alignment of the lower extremities. Features of the development of the arches of the foot, bones of the leg and thigh violate the axis of the limb, the broken axis of the limb leads to an irrational load distribution, in which deformation of the foot and joints and even greater violation of the axis of the limb are possible. This is the reason for the development and progression of diseases of the foot, knee and hip joints, which are referred to as flat feet and dysplastic arthrosis .

A change in the structure of the skeleton is associated with a wide variety of internal and external causes ( constitution , dysplastic factor , osteopenia , shoes ...), but, of course, the way of the usual alignment of the skeleton (skeletal balance) is of great importance, the expression of which is posture.

The ligamentous apparatus and normal functioning muscles cope with numerous and common abnormalities in the development of the skeleton without much difficulty. But in certain, sensitive segments of individual development, there is a mismatch between the ability of the ligamentous-muscular apparatus and the characteristics of skeletal balance. At the same time, there is a risk of developing a wide variety of diseases, such as scoliosis of the spine during accelerated spinal growth or dysplastic coxarthrosis during a period of age-related decline in muscle function and ligament elasticity.

Violation of the motor stereotype of retaining a vertical posture or natural locomotion leads to a change in the normal pattern of alignment of body segments and lower extremities ^[19] , which in turn is the cause of progression of kyphoscoliosis with stoop in adolescents, to the development of femoropatellar arthrosis when the knee-joint muscle-correctors are “turned off” when walking, to the development of cervical osteochondrosis in violation of the alignment of the head.

And skeletal balance, and muscle balance, and motor stereotype - all these are components of posture. With poor posture, even normal static loads or “inconsequential” skeletal dysplasia can be excessive, which can cause a disease of the musculoskeletal system .

On the one hand, posture has an impact on psychophysiological indicators, and on the other hand, the state of the psyche is reflected in posture. The famous English researcher, Charles Darwin (1880), in his book “Emotions of people and animals” ^[20], first formulated the “posture reflex”:

“Certain movements and postures (sometimes to a large extent) can cause the corresponding emotions. ... Take a sad pose, and after a while you will be sad ... Emotions induce movement, but also movements evoke emotions”

"Posture expresses a state of mind"

- Gustav Mannerheim, the general of the Russian army, liked to repeat ^[21] Indeed, in response to negative emotions, reflexively, as a result of an innate behavioral instinct, a person assumes a so-called passive-defensive posture ^[22] .

Passive-defensive posture is characterized by raised and forward shoulders, lowered and advanced forward head, stooped back. With frequent repetition, such a posture can become and often becomes habitual, fixed in the stereotype of posture. Many diseases of the psycho-emotional sphere ( neurosis ) are associated with the state of the musculoskeletal system , in particular, with a violation of posture. Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common disease of modern man (it is also called neurasthenia, vegetovascular dystonia ). The most common sign of neurasthenia is a feeling of constant fatigue, headaches, dizziness, palpitations, etc. People suffering from neurosis are always "clamped", they are characterized by uneven muscle tension and poor posture. A person is able to consciously correct the usual posture and the manner developed over the years by the way to move, and thereby get rid of existing problems. On this, for example, the well-known method of psychosomatic correction of Frederick Alexander (1869–1955) is based (see the article “Alexander Technique” in the English Wikipedia). Various methods of psychosomatic correction effectively help to relax muscles, relieve excessive tension. Thoughts and the human body are inextricably linked, and a change in one entails a change in the other. By acting on our thoughts, we regulate muscle tension. A change in body position can lead to a change in the emotional state. Of particular note are primary positional disorders in adolescence . So, boys and girls under the influence of various psycho-emotional complexes, deform the posture - push both shoulders forward and “hunch”. As a result, cyclic restructuring of muscle groups is launched and pathological posture is formed. Bad posture, in turn, contributes to the consolidation of psycho-emotional disorders and the formation of neuroses .

• Motor stereotype
• Walking man
• Pose
• Kyphosis
• Lordosis
• Scoliosis

• Posture: exercises
• Vertebral column as a whole
• The article "Posture and diseases of the musculoskeletal system"
• Marx V.O. Orthopedic diagnostics. (Electronic version of the book)