posture

A healthy one posture is essential for maintaining mobility and for preventing pain and inflammation. The following article analyzes the functions and tasks of good posture. He also looks at posture from a medical, psychological and evolutionary point of view.

What is the posture?

The posture describes the position of the human body in space. This is defined by the interaction of muscles, ligaments and bones. This means that the term generally refers to different positions (e.g. standing and sitting) that the human body can assume.

In medicine, "posture" usually means the upright posture of the person. This depends on the condition of the spine and the abdominal and back muscles. The terms "good" and "bad posture" are statements that judge this condition.

In psychology, the term refers to unconscious communication through body language.

Function & task

The tasks and functions of the upright posture can be seen particularly well by looking at evolution. When humans learned to walk upright about 3-4 million years ago, completely new possibilities were presented to them.

He could now use his hands in many ways. It also enabled him to see his surroundings from a different perspective. Since he could now look over bushes and grasses, he could spot predators early on.

This development was made possible by the evolution of the human spine. Over the millennia, this changed to the double S shape, which it has retained to this day.

However, this form also has a decisive disadvantage: It is prone to injury and often leads to back problems. These are often caused by poor posture. Bad posture is understood to mean a posture that damages the spine and back. It usually leads to pain in the affected areas and restricts mobility.

Consequently, the function of good posture is to maintain freedom of movement and to prevent pain and inflammation. However, this does not only affect the spine. Muscles and ligaments are also influenced by this and are necessary for a functional posture. In addition, good posture increases lung capacity, which optimizes body functions and prevents chronic fatigue.

From a psychological point of view, posture is primarily used for communication. However, this usually happens subconsciously. Posture is an important part of body language, which makes up a large part of the information we disclose about ourselves.

In personal conversations, we usually get more information through the body language of our counterpart than through their words. An open posture, for example, appears inviting and self-confident, while a closed posture is an indicator of insecurity.

This is where the medical and psychological meanings of posture meet. Healthy / good posture subconsciously communicates health and strength, while poor posture demonstrates vulnerability and weakness. Good posture is therefore important on several levels at the same time.

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Illnesses & ailments

Problems with posture increase with age. Often, diseases of the spine (e.g. herniated disc, osteoporosis) are the reason. They can lead to fixed, non-compensable misalignments. This can result in both a below-average curvature (flat back) and an overly pronounced curvature of the spine (rounded back or hollow back).

Often, however, not only a disease of the spine is to blame for poor posture, but the opposite is the case: incorrect posture leads to back problems.

This occurs i.a. in adolescents, because their length and muscle growth occur at different times, so that the spine is not sufficiently stabilized. Frequent sitting also shortens the hip and chest muscles. This leads to poor posture and poor posture, which can lead to tension, back pain and headaches.

But these problems cannot only arise in young people. A lack of exercise and long periods of sitting lead to more or less bad posture in every age group and are increasingly becoming a widespread disease. Regular exercise and ergonomic seating are recommended as a precaution.

In addition, targeted strengthening of the abdominal and back muscles through appropriate training can be useful. In addition, when it comes to sitting, it depends on how you sit. For example, it is much healthier for your back to sit up straight than to "hang" in your chair. This is because an upright posture relieves the load on the intervertebral discs.

Good posture is characterized by its symmetry. The weight is evenly distributed over both legs so that no part of the body is overstrained.

One possible - often forgotten - cause of poor posture is the fact that posture is also influenced by the feet. If you have problems with your feet, for example due to incorrect footwear, your entire posture can be affected. A good example of this are shoes that are too tight with high heels. They make the foot muscles atrophy and put an unfavorable strain on the musculoskeletal system. Targeted gymnastics helps by training the foot muscles. Ergonomic shoes also help, as they relieve the spine.