Posture and Postural Defect – JSS2 Physical & Health Education Lesson Note (Third Term)

Posture is the way the body is held while standing, sitting, walking, running or sleeping. It is the alignment of the body. Good posture is an erect position with no forward or backward bending of the spinal column. A postural defect is an abnormal curvature of the spine, such as kyphosis, scoliosis or lordosis.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain the meaning of posture;
• list the kinds of posture;
• describe the correct standing posture;
• name the seven postural defects;
• describe each postural defect briefly.

What is posture?

Posture is the way the body is held while standing, sitting and walking. It can be defined as the alignment of the body.

There is a correct posture of the body for everything we do, whether standing, walking, running, sitting or sleeping. Good posture gives us a smart appearance, which shows that we are sensitive and attentive.

Good posture is an erect position in which there is neither forward nor backward bending of the spinal column.

What are the kinds of posture?

1. Sitting posture
2. Standing posture
3. Walking posture
4. Running posture
5. Sleeping posture

What is the correct standing posture?

In standing properly:

1. The position should be easy, not forced.
2. The head should be well up.
3. The chin is slightly drawn inward.
4. The back of the head and the knees should be in one straight line.
5. The shoulders should be held back in their natural position, with the chest forward, the abdomen in and the heels together.
6. The weight of the body should rest on the outer edges of the feet.
7. The arms should hang easily at the sides, with the palms turned inward and the fingers slightly bent.

What are postural defects?

Postural defects are abnormal curvatures of the spine, which are often associated with illnesses related to posture. The types of postural defects are:

1. Kyphosis (humped back or rounded back)
2. Scoliosis
3. Lordosis (hollow back)
4. Flat foot
5. Bowed legs
6. Knock-knees
7. Wry neck

Kyphosis (round shoulder)

Kyphosis is regarded as the round shoulders condition, which makes the bones and muscles of the back assume a haunched or humped shape.

Scoliosis (lateral curvature)

Scoliosis is the lateral curvature of the spine, that is, the sideways bending of the body. One shoulder is raised higher than the other. It affects the spinal column and the two shoulders.

Lordosis (hollow back)

Lordosis is an abnormal curvature of the spinal column. It is the backward bending of the spinal column of the body. The tummy or stomach is usually big. The person is usually huge or lanky to carry the weight of the big stomach.

Flat foot

A flat foot is a condition in which the arch of the foot, which stretches from the heel to the big toe, is flattened. It involves the tearing of the ligaments supporting the arch of the foot. It is the most common kind of foot trouble. In the normal foot, only the heel, toes and outer border of the foot touch the ground.

Bowed legs (varus knee)

Bowed legs are a condition in which the legs appear to “bow” to the outside. In bowed legs, the patella falls to the outside of the anterior leg line.

Knock-knee leg or K-leg (valgus knee)

The knock-knee leg is the opposite of bowed legs. It is a deviation in which the patella falls inside the anterior leg line. Bowed legs and knock-knee legs are usually the result of faulty skeletal development.

Wry neck

Wry neck is a condition that makes a person hold the neck at a tilt while the chin points in the opposite direction.

Evaluation

1. Explain the meaning of posture.
2. Mention and demonstrate four kinds of posture.
3. Briefly describe each of these postural defects:
   • (a) Kyphosis
   • (b) Lordosis
   • (c) Scoliosis
   • (d) Bowed legs
   • (e) Knock-knee leg
   • (f) Flat foot
   • (g) Wry neck

Assignment

1. List the seven postural defects.
2. Describe the correct standing posture.