Ask Dr. Nick
On today’s episode, Dr. Nick talks about how posture can give us knowledge on how the brain is functioning. Posture is based on a complex interaction of sensory information in the brain. This sensory information includes the vestibular system from the inner ear, visual system from the eyes, and proprioceptive system from the muscles, joints, and skin. This information comes into the brain and needs to integrate and match in order to give a sense of body and spatial awareness. If one of these is altered, there is a sensory mismatch resulting in a compensatory response like changing posture or muscle tone. This knowledge allows us to look at posture and use it for diagnosis and progression in treatment. By improving the integration of these senses in the brain, we can improve posture as well. Check out the video for more in-depth information on how these sensory systems are integrated in the brain to produce body tone and posture!
Reference: Samuel AJ, Solomon J, and Mohan D. A Critical Review on the Normal Postural Control. Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, 2015; 8(2). 71-77. doi: 10.21088/potj.0974.5777.8215.4
