Posture restructuring and Control
Postural structuring begins in the womb. Genetic coding for the specific fetus and a nutritional environment provided by the mother orchestrates the structural development. Amniotic fluid pressure and other soft tissue intrauterine pressures begin to contribute to the posture or relative positioning of all body parts once developed. Intrauterine positioning and size of the fetus have been related to musculo-skeletal development, including skeletal relationships that will play an important role during ambulation.
If physical structure takes form in the womb, then restructuring takes place from birth on. A progressive strengthening and straightening of posture from that observed at birth is now dictated by our physical environment. Two of the most important factors are body mass and gravity.
By
the time our bodies are less than half of their adult size, we have
already learned to perform complex postural maneuvers.
Even before we finish growing at age 14-18, we may have reached the best body posture of our life. Often, posture restructuring is in the direction of less optimal posture at this point in our lives.
Over-all posture strengthens and improves to some point between 14 and age 25. At that point, a general weakening of the soft tissue accompanies the destructive-postural changes; this stimulates fat deposition that actually somewhat conceals the changes in posture.
From age 25 to age 45, we see a gradual degradation of posture with many associated health problems and obvious signs associated with the aging process.
From age 45 until death, destructive postural changes become obvious with inward rotation of the legs and increased curvature of the spine. These postural changes may result in as much as a 1 and 1/2 inch decrease in height by the time we are in our 30's and several inches loss in height before we die.
Perhaps the most important thing one can learn from an observation of human postural restructuring is that human strength, health, and aging is directly related to posture. From there, one can understand the importance of examining, measuring, defining, quantifying all that can be known about individual postural changes.
Computer techniques now used to quantify posture will document this already obvious relationship between posture , health, and aging.
Theta-Orthotics
PO Box 1574
Riverton, Utah 84065
1-800-558-4382