Postural Assessment (Hands-on Guides for Therapists)

The plumb line represents the line of gravity; it is a vertical line drawn from the body’s centre of gravity to within the body’s base of support. The human centre of gravity is just anterior to the second sacral vertebra.

Deviations from this optimal joint alignment increase the stress on ligaments and require that muscles exert more effort not just in the associated joint but usually in the joints above and below the affected part, as part of the body’s corrective mechanism. If mal-alignment persists— that is, deviations from the positions illustrated here—detrimen

standard alignment.

Observations that to you may seem commonplace and a matter of fact may have huge emotional significance for the patient.

It is important to take the medical history first because something may come to light that affects whether you perform the postural assessment.

Postural assessment is usually performed following the consultation and once you have important information about your client’s medical history.

a patient is likely to have an abnormal increase or decrease in muscle tone, the section What Your Findings Mean within this text will not apply. Those sections address the effects of postural imbalance on healthy people rather than those suffering from sudden trauma.

Similar caution needs to be taken when assessing a client with a recent injury. With such patients—particularly those with injury in the lumbar spine, pelvis or lower limbs—weight bearing or a change in posture may aggravate discomfort.

If you are working as a fitness professional—one of your aims being to strengthen weak muscles—or as a teacher of yoga—aiming perhaps to lengthen muscles—you too will find postural assessment beneficial because it will help you identify muscle imbalances and you can therefore design the most effective exercises and postures for your clients.