The Question of Posture

Abstract

Every expert would agree with Taillard (1964) that posture is the most unsettled of all orthopaedic problems. Its onus of ambiguity no longer concerns orthopaedists alone, nor is it limited only to the fields of medical practice and research. It is, rather, a fundamental question spanning a wide range of sciences and occupations that deal with human existence and actions. Therefore fascination with this problem has steadily increased. Questions on human posture, its concepts and terminology, its normal forms and variations, the diagnosis of pathologic disorders, and their response to treatment concern many of today’s anatomists, pathologists, physiologists, orthopaedists, rheumatologists, pediatricians, gerontologists, psychiatrists, psychosomatic therapists, physiologists, behavioral therapists, and epidemiologists. They are also the concern of school, military, occupational, preventive medicine, and space physicians, as well as parents, teachers, orthothe– rapists, physiotherapists, athletes, bioengineers, technical designers, and many others. Posture is obviously a human phenomenon that includes multiform anthropologic elements. Many of these aspects may be as enlightening as they are confusing. The problem of posture may be explained in many different ways depending on the point of view, visual angle, methodology, and the terminology employed. This can be very productive, but it can also lead to many misunderstandings.KeywordsUpright PostureNormal PostureVertebral ColumnPostural PerformanceLumbar LordosisThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.