RESEARCH

Dr. Mark McKean PhD

POSTURE & MOVEMENT

FROM 4 LEGS TO 2

RESEARCH

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

SESSION 1

� Evolution of posture

� Correct alignment for posture

� Why we need good posture

� Muscle Balance

EVOLUTION OF POSTUREEVOLUTION OF POSTURE

APE TO MAN

DISTANT RELATIVES

� Upright posture may date back as far as 4.4 million

years ago

� Footprints preserved in hardened volcanic ash dated � Footprints preserved in hardened volcanic ash dated

3.6 million years in Tanzania

� Homo sapiens started evolving 500,000 years ago

� Intellectual capacity caused brain to enlarge which

allowed us to climb, lift, carry, throw, and dig

� Female pelvis evolved to allow larger diameter heads

WHO IS STRONGER?

� Lumbar spine is straight in gorillas who can only

lift just over half their body weight

� Curved in humans who can lift/absorb 3.3 times � Curved in humans who can lift/absorb 3.3 times

bodyweight

� Walking upright requires less effort and was faster

� Changes started to occur eg.� Changes started to occur eg.

� Hip bones broader and shorter for larger attachment of gluteals for better hip extension and longer limbs

� Hip flexors and extensors evolved and added compressive stress to lumbar discs

� Lumbar vertebra changed

� Not all evolutionary changes are positive

� Fallen arches – lower limb muscle weakness

Disc problems of lower back� Disc problems of lower back

� Low back pain – lumbar arch instability

POOR POSTURAL HABITS

� From there to where?

FEMALE EVOLUTION

IDEAL ALIGNMENT FOR POSTUREIDEAL ALIGNMENT FOR POSTURE

SIDEWAYS

� Meaty part of ear lobe

� Cervical vertebrae

� Lumbar vertebrae

� Just behind hip joint centre

� Just in front of knee joint centre

� Just in front of ankle joint centre

FRONT ON

� Centre of head

� Centre of all vertebrae

� Centre of hips

� Between legs evenly

� Centre of feet

FEET

� Role of the arches

� Provide base of support

� Influence position of legs and hips

KNEES

� Absorb stress from poor foot alignment

� Adjust to fit with hips

HIPS

SPINE

SPINE

SQUARE SHOULDERS

HEAD

WHY WE NEED GOOD POSTUREWHY WE NEED GOOD POSTURE

HEALTH

Good posture improves

� Digestion – less congestion in abdominal cavity and nerve functionand nerve function

� Breathing – greater lung capacity and mobile rib cage

� Concentration – more blood flow to brain and return

� Heart health – more space in cavity and better blood flow from circulation

STRENGTH

� Muscles move easier in chains

� Nerve messages more effective

� Normal length and tension in muscles

� Body coordinates segments more efficiently

FLEXIBILITY

� Muscles work in groups and not in isolation

� Less tension in muscles that hold you upright

� Fascia and connective tissue more able to

stretch

MOVEMENT

� Joint work better together

� Looks smoother

� Moves easier

� More fluid

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

SESSION 2

� Watch people move

� Seeing movement problems

� Walking

� Squatting and lunging

� Rotation

HOW PEOPLE MOVEHOW PEOPLE MOVE

GOOD MOVEMENTS

� Walking

� Running

� Squatting

POOR MOVEMENTS

� John Wayne

� Marilyn Monroe

MOVEMENT PROBLEMS

� Shortened actions

� Compensations before moving

� Compensations after movement

� Poor stability

� Poor flexibility

WALKING

SQUATTING

LUNGING

ROTATING

MARK MCKEAN PHDMARK MCKEAN PHD

Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Australian Institute of Fitness Research

University of Sunshine Coast

mmckean@usc.edu.au