Body Stretching, Workouts - December 04, 2009

Postures

Postures differ from one person to the next, there are three different postures you can recognise by looking at the postural shape.

Lordosis

Is excessive curvature of the lumbar vertebrae, Which can be seen in pregnant women during the later stages of pregnancy. This is due to the increased weight of the baby pulling altering the mother’s centre of gravity, pulling the weight forward and tilting the pelvis forward.

Kyphosis

Is an excessive curvature outwards in the upper thoracic vertebrae, which can be seen in individuals suffering from a ‘Dowages’ Hump’ and also in advanced cases of osteoporosis where the spinal bone density has deteriorated.

Scoliosis

Can affect either the thoracic or lumbar curves. It represents excessive curvature to one side of the spinal cord, giving it a distinctive s-shape. This commonly occurs when leg lengths differ for example, in mothers who favor carrying their children on the hip.

Gender Differences

There are only minor differences between male and female skeletons. Generally male bones tend to be heavier than the corresponding bones of the female. The females have a greater carrying angle at the elbow joint, a smaller femoral head at the hip joint and the pelvis is wider to accommodate childbirth.