Woodbridge Physiotherapy Practice
And Sports Injury Clinic
Contact Details
Tel: 01394 387916
Email: info@woodbridgephysio.co.uk
Woodbridge Physiotherapy Practice Ltd
Prentices Lane
Woodbridge
Suffolk
IP12 4LF
Posture is maintained both by muscles and by non-contractile tissues. A good posture is one which places the least possible stress on both. A good posture requires little muscle activity so it is more relaxed and needs less energy to maintain it. At the same time joint structures are not overstretched or shortened so much, that they cause strain. In both of these cases a good posture is one which is balanced.
2 types of posture are important;
Static posture is the position of the body at rest while
Dynamic posture is the type of body position that a person takes up whilst moving.
A number of factors interact to create a person’s static posture Somatotype and genetic make up are both important so too are strength and flexibility – as well as the way in which you look at yourself – your ‘self-image’ and your mental state. On the whole you cannot alter your skeletal structure so the posture you were genetically endowed is permanent (unless you have it surgically altered!). Similarly, if you have large or small bones you are stuck with them.
Body Type
Each of us has a different type of body. Some fatter, some are thinner, some are more or less muscled. Different body types lend themselves to different sports and trying to do sports with the wrong body type can cause injury. Each individuals body may be classified as one of 3 extreme body types:
Endomorphs, Mesomorphs and Ectomorphs
Endomorphs have relatively round physiques and tend to put on and store fat. They have a ‘pear-drop’ appearance with the abdomen as large or larger than the chest.
Mesomorphs have more bone and muscle development. Their bodies are made for strenuous physical activity and individuals of this type tend to be heavily muscled. The chest is broad and shoulders are wider than the waist.
Ectomorphs have long delicate limbs – the traditional ‘bean-poles’
In reality, few people have a physique which falls firmly into one of these categories. We are all a mixture of the 3 extremes in varying proportions.
Posture