This document discusses human posture evolution from four-legged ancestors to modern two-legged humans. It covers how upright posture developed over millions of years, allowing for traits like throwing, carrying and an enlarged brain. While bipedalism provided advantages, it also introduced challenges like lower back problems. The document outlines ideal spinal and body alignment for good posture and how this impacts health, strength, flexibility and movement. It concludes by previewing a second session on observing common movement problems and examples of good and poor movements like walking, squatting and rotating.

1. RESEARCH
Dr. Mark McKean PhD
POSTURE & MOVEMENT
FROM 4 LEGS TO 2
RESEARCH

2. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
SESSION 1
Evolution of posture
Correct alignment for posture
Why we need good posture
Muscle Balance

3. EVOLUTION OF POSTUREEVOLUTION OF POSTURE

4. APE TO MAN

5. DISTANT RELATIVES
Upright posture may date back as far as 4.4 million
years ago
Footprints preserved in hardened volcanic ash datedFootprints preserved in hardened volcanic ash dated
3.6 million years in Tanzania
Homo sapiens started evolving 500,000 years ago
Intellectual capacity caused brain to enlarge which
allowed us to climb, lift, carry, throw, and dig
Female pelvis evolved to allow larger diameter heads

6. WHO IS STRONGER?
Lumbar spine is straight in gorillas who can only
lift just over half their body weight
Curved in humans who can lift/absorb 3.3 timesCurved in humans who can lift/absorb 3.3 times
bodyweight

7. Walking upright requires less effort and was
faster
Changes started to occur eg.Changes started to occur eg.
Hip bones broader and shorter for larger
attachment of gluteals for better hip extension
and longer limbs
Hip flexors and extensors evolved and added
compressive stress to lumbar discs
Lumbar vertebra changed

8. Not all evolutionary changes are positive
Fallen arches – lower limb muscle weakness
Disc problems of lower backDisc problems of lower back
Low back pain – lumbar arch instability

9. POOR POSTURAL HABITS
From there to where?

10. FEMALE EVOLUTION

11. IDEAL ALIGNMENT FOR POSTUREIDEAL ALIGNMENT FOR POSTURE

12. SIDEWAYS
Meaty part of ear lobe
Cervical vertebrae
Lumbar vertebrae
Just behind hip joint centre
Just in front of knee joint centre
Just in front of ankle joint centre

13. FRONT ON
Centre of head
Centre of all vertebrae
Centre of hips
Between legs evenly
Centre of feet

14. FEET
Role of the arches
Provide base of support
Influence position of legs and hips

15. KNEES
Absorb stress from poor foot alignment
Adjust to fit with hips

16. HIPS

17. SPINE

18. SPINE

20. SQUARE SHOULDERS

21. HEAD

22. WHY WE NEED GOOD POSTUREWHY WE NEED GOOD POSTURE

23. HEALTH
Good posture improves
Digestion – less congestion in abdominal cavity
and nerve functionand nerve function
Breathing – greater lung capacity and mobile rib
cage
Concentration – more blood flow to brain and
return
Heart health – more space in cavity and better
blood flow from circulation

24. STRENGTH
Muscles move easier in chains
Nerve messages more effective
Normal length and tension in muscles
Body coordinates segments more efficiently

25. FLEXIBILITY
Muscles work in groups and not in isolation
Less tension in muscles that hold you upright
Fascia and connective tissue more able to
stretch

26. MOVEMENT
Joint work better together
Looks smoother
Moves easier
More fluid

27. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
SESSION 2
Watch people move
Seeing movement problems
Walking
Squatting and lunging
Rotation

28. HOW PEOPLE MOVEHOW PEOPLE MOVE

29. GOOD MOVEMENTS
Walking
Running
Squatting

30. POOR MOVEMENTS
John Wayne
Marilyn Monroe

31. MOVEMENT PROBLEMS
Shortened actions
Compensations before moving
Compensations after movement
Poor stability
Poor flexibility

32. WALKING

33. SQUATTING

35. LUNGING

36. ROTATING

37. MARK MCKEAN PHDMARK MCKEAN PHD
Post Doctoral Research Fellow
Australian Institute of Fitness Research
University of Sunshine Coast
mmckean@usc.edu.au