Physical Therapy Posture Assessment in NYC
Postural Analysis in New York, NY
Understanding how to have pain-free and normal posture can be complex. After all, you’re probably too busy to stay fully aware of your sitting posture, standing posture, and walking posture at all times.
And if you’re an athlete, an altered posture could be affecting your performance. You may experience pain, injury, postural deviations, or muscle imbalances.
Topic at a Glance
- A postural assessment evaluates body alignment and movement patterns to identify potential imbalances that may contribute to pain or affect physical performance.
- Paspa Physical Therapy assesses upper-body alignment, including head and shoulder position, as well as lower-body alignment involving the pelvis, spine, hips, and knees.
- A postural evaluation may identify alignment patterns associated with forward head posture, kyphosis, lordosis, swayback, flatback, or scoliosis.
- Physical therapists use assessment findings to guide individualized care aimed at improving posture, movement, and core stability.
With the help of our expert licensed physical therapists, you will be better equipped to reach your pain-free injury prevention goals with our gold standard postural evaluations and physical therapy techniques.
In addition, we use postural assessments and clinical diagnostic research to help patients find relief and treatment for chronic misalignment.
Contact Paspa Physical Therapy in New York, NY today for more information on how to attain good posture.
Benefits of our posture analysis include:
- Quantifiable and reliable data
- Postural control
- Optimal posture
- Core stability
How Does a Posture Assessment Work?
The secret to an excellent postural assessment is visual observation. That means we watch and document how your body responds under certain conditions.
Our postural evaluation utilizes clinical and diagnostic research and postural assessment methods to calculate your proper postural angles.
This will help rule out any postural abnormalities to correct your faulty posture.
Upper Body Alignment
In the upper body, we check your head posture and shoulder posture. We also look for forward head syndrome and thoracic kyphosis while you are standing.
Your head position will be examined to see if it has shifted forward to cause flexion at the lower cervical and thoracic spine outside its normal position.
Forward head syndrome is also associated with:
- Strange shoulder and scapular symmetry from posterior postural views
- Abnormal shoulder joint internal and external rotation of the humeral head
Kyphosis is most apparent in the back when the spine’s natural curvature turns into an excessive inward curve into the thoracic cage.
Lower Body Alignment
We investigate abnormal postures and pelvis tilts to ensure your body has optimal movement patterns and static posture.
If needed, our postural assessment team in New York, NY can remedy chronic forms of lumbar lordosis, sway back, flatback, and scoliosis.
While evaluating the pelvis for lordosis or lordotic curves, we’re searching for an abnormal inward curve of the spine.
That means that if your pelvis were a bowl of water, the bowl of water would spill forward over your toes.
Other signs and symptoms of lordosis include:
- Tight hip flexors that pull the pelvis slightly anterior
- Knee hyperextension that creates plantar flexion on the ankle
People who experience sway back generally carry a combination of dysfunctions of the misaligned spine resulting in lordosis.
Other postural alignment landmarks to keep in mind are:
- Tight muscles that cause the superior iliac spine to face downward
- Iliac crests that turn upward or downward
- Knee joint that turns inward or outward of the vertical line
- Posterior superior iliac spine tilt of the pelvis
People who experience flat back usually experience chronic back pain while performing basic daily tasks.
Even standing upright can be painful and difficult.
Symptoms include:
- An anterior pelvic tilt upwards
- Cervical lordosis
Another common joint postural deformity includes scoliosis.
In addition, the rib cages and cervical spine tend to deviate from the body’s organic centerline with lateral C or S shape curvature at the lumbar spine and vertebrae rotation.
Other landmarks include:
- Scoliosis signature sideways curve with lumbar and thoracic curves
- Lower limb posture with hyperextension at the knee with the misaligned lateral malleolus
At Paspa Physical Therapy, we can provide the full physical therapy posture assessment you need to feel your best again.
Call our clinic in New York, NY today or fill up a postural assessment form online to set up an appointment.
Our Services
Condition and Injuries We Treat
FAQs About Our Physical Therapy Posture Assessment
What is a postural assessment?
A postural assessment is an evaluation of how the body is aligned while standing or moving. At Paspa Physical Therapy, our licensed physical therapists observe posture and alignment to identify potential abnormalities and guide treatment.
What body parts are evaluated during a postural assessment?
A postural assessment may examine the spine, neck, shoulders, pelvis, hips, knees, and feet. Static assessments evaluate alignment while the body is still, while dynamic assessments focus on movement.
What postural problems can an assessment identify?
A postural assessment can identify alignment patterns such as forward head posture, kyphosis, lordosis, swayback, flatback, and scoliosis. A physical therapist can determine whether these findings may be contributing to symptoms or movement difficulties.
How can a postural assessment help?
A postural assessment helps physical therapists understand alignment and movement patterns that may be affecting comfort or function. The findings can guide an individualized treatment approach focused on posture, movement, and core stability.
Who can benefit from a postural assessment?
People experiencing posture-related discomfort, muscle imbalances, or movement difficulties may benefit from an evaluation. Athletes may also seek an assessment to understand whether postural patterns could be affecting their performance.