Posture Analysis

**Nick** · 29-09-2007, 02:21 AM

The following was spammed to me today by a company that sells postural analysis software - claiming it as evidence why you should have postural analysis tools in your practice. Let's deconstruct...

"It's true. Several major published peer reviewed studies have exposed
posture analysis as a tool you should have in your practice. Here is a
short recap:

SPINE, 2005

• "All measures of health status showed significantly poorer scores as
C7 plumb line deviation increased."

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2004

• "Older men and women with hyperkyphotic posture have higher mortality
rates.

American Journal of Pain Management, 1994

• "Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse, and lung capacity
are among the functions most easily in fluenced by posture."

The Journal of Neuroscience, 2007

Bad posture could raise your blood pressure. Study finds neurolink between
position of neck muscles and high blood pressure."

Jon Newman · 29-09-2007, 03:02 AM

Link 1

Link 2

I failed to find an abstract for the third study but found that the quote appears almost exclusively on chiropractic websites. For example this one. The last sentence in the link is the take home message.

Link 4

**Jason Silvernail** · 29-09-2007, 10:57 AM

I heard that limping is a major risk factor for lower extremity injury - in fact, as limping increases, I think the chance of their being an injury goes up by a factor of at least 10!.
I think this is so important that I always force my patients not to limp. I mean, I don't want them getting hurt on my watch!
[/sarcasm]

mikesangster · 01-10-2007, 11:11 PM

Thought I'd add this while the thread was still fresh... I had a patient today tell me about a computer course she is taking in high school. Her instructor informed the class that 90% of their grade would be based on the correct computer station posture (not academic work)... and that they would never survive university if they didn't have the right posture... apparently she goes around the class and yells at those without a perfect and perfectly static posture... heaven forbid that one breathes or shifts in a chair... as you might expect, the 'perfect posture' causes my patient (and likely everyone else) intense pain within about 90 seconds.

Thank God I'm not in high school anymore.

**nari** · 01-10-2007, 11:47 PM

Mike,

True. Sitting upright according to plumb bobs and alignment of bits and pieces is guaranteed to generate pain, even if pain was absent to begin with. Unfortunately there are many PTs who still believe static uprightedness is the way to go with computers.

Interestingly, people in theatres and cinemas seem to manage static posturing for a long time.

Nari

29-09-2007, 02:21 AM	#1
Nick Arbiter Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bedford, Nova Scotia Posts: 716 Thanks: 2 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Posture Analysis The following was spammed to me today by a company that sells postural analysis software - claiming it as evidence why you should have postural analysis tools in your practice. Let's deconstruct... "It's true. Several major published peer reviewed studies have exposed posture analysis as a tool you should have in your practice. Here is a short recap: SPINE, 2005 • "All measures of health status showed significantly poorer scores as C7 plumb line deviation increased." Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2004 • "Older men and women with hyperkyphotic posture have higher mortality rates. American Journal of Pain Management, 1994 • "Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse, and lung capacity are among the functions most easily in fluenced by posture." The Journal of Neuroscience, 2007 Bad posture could raise your blood pressure. Study finds neurolink between position of neck muscles and high blood pressure."

29-09-2007, 03:02 AM	#2
Jon Newman Enjoy a moment of whimsy Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,024 Thanks: 5 Thanked 55 Times in 41 Posts	The abstracts Link 1 Link 2 I failed to find an abstract for the third study but found that the quote appears almost exclusively on chiropractic websites. For example this one. The last sentence in the link is the take home message. Link 4 __________________ "I did a small amount of web-based research, and what I found is disturbing"--Bob Morris Last edited by Jon Newman; 29-09-2007 at 03:08 AM.

29-09-2007, 10:57 AM	#3
Jason Silvernail Clinician and Researcher Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kandahar Province, Afghanistan Age: 39 Posts: 4,078 Thanks: 118 Thanked 536 Times in 182 Posts	I heard that limping is a major risk factor for lower extremity injury - in fact, as limping increases, I think the chance of their being an injury goes up by a factor of at least 10!. I think this is so important that I always force my patients not to limp. I mean, I don't want them getting hurt on my watch! [/sarcasm] __________________ Jason Silvernail DPT, DSc, FAAOMPT Board-Certified in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Fellowship-Trained in Orthopedic Manual Therapy Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist The views expressed in this entry are those of the author alone and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the US Government.

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01-10-2007, 11:11 PM	#4
mikesangster Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 28 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thought I'd add this while the thread was still fresh... I had a patient today tell me about a computer course she is taking in high school. Her instructor informed the class that 90% of their grade would be based on the correct computer station posture (not academic work)... and that they would never survive university if they didn't have the right posture... apparently she goes around the class and yells at those without a perfect and perfectly static posture... heaven forbid that one breathes or shifts in a chair... as you might expect, the 'perfect posture' causes my patient (and likely everyone else) intense pain within about 90 seconds. Thank God I'm not in high school anymore.

01-10-2007, 11:47 PM	#5
nari NeuroNut Evangelist Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: ACT Aust Posts: 7,680 Thanks: 706 Thanked 234 Times in 168 Posts	Mike, True. Sitting upright according to plumb bobs and alignment of bits and pieces is guaranteed to generate pain, even if pain was absent to begin with. Unfortunately there are many PTs who still believe static uprightedness is the way to go with computers. Interestingly, people in theatres and cinemas seem to manage static posturing for a long time. Nari