HEALTH AND WELLBEING.

At the Core. 

Posture, arising from the latin verb ponere meaning to put or to place, refers to the position of the body when upright at any one moment.

Emerging through a dynamic relationship between the sensory systems of the body for balance and the elements of the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, bones, connective tissues and ligaments posture contributes to how centred and stabilised we feel.

How the body is carried facilitates energy production, encourages optimal function of the organs, assists with breathing, blood and lymphatic flow, reduces the risk of injury and pain, and contributes to mental acuity.

Optimal posture, though an illusive concept, as we all hold ourselves differently and adaptively, can be can be said to be when how the body is held minimises the stress applied to each of its parts including joints and organs.

The concept of core stability or strength is often an interchangeable term that refers to postural stability particularly relating to the abdomen, pelvis and lower back. Yet our body requires stability along its length and width, including stability for the neck, head and shoulder girdle. Thus the core and posture stability is encompassing, body and mind wide. It is constantly evolving and changing.

Attuning to our bodies positions through conscious awareness is a poignant part of integrating our ever evolving physical selves and can be augmented with movement or awareness practices that draw our attention into our bodies and breath such as pilates or yoga, though such structured practices are not always necessary as all movement engages the core musculature to some degree.

17. Oct. 2024.

References and Further Reading.

Carini F, et al. Posture and posturology, anatomical and physiological profiles: overview and current state of art. Acta Biomed. 2017;88(1):11–16. doi: 10.23750/abm.v88i1.5309. Accessed online 15th Oct.2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6166197/