Posture Assessment

Question 1

Head, trunk, shoulders, and pelvic girdle are most important segments to have:

Answer 1

muscular and mechanical balance

Question 2

Postural faults…

Answer 2

occur when muscular, ligament, and soft-tissue structure imbalances develop

Question 3

Rounded shoulders

Answer 3

can be the result of shortened pec major or minor groups

Question 4

Lumbar lordosis can occur when the

Answer 4

hip flexors are tight and abs are elongated

Question 5

the posture analysis should always be performed after the __________ and __________with the patient minimally clothed

Answer 5

history and systems review

Question 6

Head and neck lateral view, plumb line should fall through

Answer 6

ear lobe to acromion process

Question 7

lateral view: at the shoulder plumb line should fall through

Answer 7

acromion process

Question 8

lateral view: thoracic vertebrae plumb line bisects:

Answer 8

the chest symmetrically

Question 9

lateral view: lumbar vertebrae plumb line falls…

Answer 9

midway between abdomen, back, and slightly anterior to SI joint

Question 10

lateral view: pelvis and hip, plumb line falls

Answer 10

anterior to Si joint and posterior to hip joint through greater trochanter

Question 11

lateral view: knee and ankle, plumb line should

Answer 11

pass slightly anterior to midline of knee joint and just anterior to lateral malleolus

Question 12

posterior view: head and neck

Answer 12

plumb line bisects head through external occipital protuberance

Question 13

posterior view: shoulder and scap

Answer 13

plumb line bisects SP of thoracic and lumbar vertebra

Question 14

posterior view: pelvis and hip

Answer 14

plumb line bisects gluteal cleft with PSIS, iliac crests, and greater trochanters at this level

Question 15

posterior view: knee, ankle and foot

Answer 15

plumb line is equidistant between knees, and between medial malleoli of the foot

Question 16

anterior view: normal carrying angle for men and women

Answer 16

• men is about 5-10 degrees

- women 10-15 degrees

Question 17

anterior view: LE

Answer 17

• ASIS level
• patellar alignment (straight, inward, outward)
• angle of toe out (normal 5-7 degrees)

Question 18

Forward head

Answer 18

• head lies anterior to plumb line

- cause: tight cervical extensor, upper trap, and levator scap muscles; elongated cervical flexors

Question 19

Rounded/forward shoulders

Answer 19

• acromion process lies anterior to the plumb line with abducted scapulae
• causes: tight pec major, minor and Serratus A.; weak thoracic extensors, middle trap and rhomboid muscles

Question 20

thoracic Kyphosis

Answer 20

• increased posterior convexity of vertebrae
• causes: lengthened thoracic extensors, middle and lower taps and posterior ligaments; tightness of anterior longitudinal ligament and anterior chest

Question 21

barrel chest

Answer 21

increased overall anteroposterior diameter of the rib cage

Question 22

Lumbar lordosis

Answer 22

• hyperextension of lumbar vertebra- anterior pelvic tilt
• causes: tightness of hip flexor and LB extensor muscles and posterior longitudinal ligament; lengthened weak and lower ab muscles

Question 23

Flat back

Answer 23

• aka posterior pelvic tilt
• flattening of the lumbar spine (loss of normal lordosis)
• caused by tightness of hamstrings, weakness of hip flexor muscles

Question 24

anterior pelvic tilt

Answer 24

causes: increased lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis, tightness of hip flexors and lengthened ab muscles

Question 25

posterior pelvic tilt

Answer 25

• causes: tightness of hamstring muscles and lengthened hip flexors and lower ab muscles

Question 26

genu recurvatum

Answer 26

(hyperextension of the knee)

- causes: tightness of quads and calf muscles, lengthened posterior capsule and hamstring muscles

Question 27

Head tilt

Answer 27

patient’s head lies more to one side

-causes: tightness of lateral neck flexors on one side

Question 28

head rotated

Answer 28

causes: tightness of SCM, upper trap, and scalenes

Question 29

dropped shoulder

Answer 29

one shoulder is lower than the other

-causes: tightness of rhomboids and lats; hand dominance may cause this (dominant side lower)

Question 30

abducted scap

Answer 30

caused by tightness of serratus anterior muscles; lengthened rhomboids and middle trapz

Question 31

scapular winging

Answer 31

caused by weakness of serratus A

Question 32

Scoilios

Answer 32

can occur as a C-shaped lateral curvature with vertebral rotation presenting as either thoracic, thoracolumbar, or lumbar curve
- can develop into an S-shaped curve that effects both thoracic and lumbar

Question 33

Lateral pelvic drop or tilt

Answer 33

caused by scoliosis, leg length discrepancy, or shortening of contralateral quadratus lumborum

Question 34

Pelvic rotation

Answer 34

plumb line falls to right or left of gluteal cleft

-causes are tightness of medial rotators and hip flexor muscles on rotated side

Question 35

Genu Verum

Answer 35

aka bow legs

- caused by coxa valga; structural changes in alignment of femoral condyles/tibial plateau

Question 36

Genu Valgum

Answer 36

aka knock knees

- caused by: coxa varum, structural changes in alignment of femoral condyles/tibial plateau

Question 37

Pes Planus

Answer 37

pronated foot- calcaneal eversion, midfoot width increase, lowering of medial longitudinal arch

Question 38

pes cavus

Answer 38

supinated foot- calcaneal inversion, midfoot width decrease, elevation of the medial longitudinal arch