Posture is reflection of how you balance your body. You continually use your muscles which counter and correct the body relative to gravity. To help you keep an upright posture, you use your eyes to gauge what is level, along with sensory information from your inner ears, muscles, and joints. The brain regulates and adapts the way the muscles respond to posture. In effect the basic model of postural control is a circuit encompassing the muscles and joints, inner ears and the brain.
The key to this basic model is that it is a circuit or loop. As such the postural muscles can influence the brain and vice versa. Therefore, damage and disruption to the brain function can lead to poor posture. This is evident with stroke patients, Parkinson’s Disease and some Tic’s. However, even more common but refined disorders like; ADHD, scoliosis, functional dissociation disorder, hemisphericity or eye palsy. Often a postural disorder is not a disorder of the muscuoskeletal system, sometimes the brain and nervous system function needs to be considered.
The following exercises are a guide which may assist and support the posture. Clearly it is understood that a healthy balance system can encourage a good brain. (Note these exercises are a guide and care should be taken. Please contact your medical practitioner if these activities lead to pain or concern.)
