Considering impairments of the trunk in patients with musculoskeletal disease

Abstract

The authors use top-down evaluation to determine impairments and perform physical therapy regardless of musculoskeletal or central nervous system disorders. One of the abnormal postures in patients with musculoskeletal disorders is a hunched posture with trunk flexion. In addition to the influence of the trunk, hunched posture tends to become more prominent with the influence of the lower limbs, lifestyle, and aging,. In this paper, we explain how to weigh the relevance of the problems considering the effects of not only the trunk but also the lower limbs, when considering the problems of trunk flexion posture in musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, we also explain the main points for performing examinations and physical therapy for problems of the trunk, while presenting posture and motion analysis of cases and electromyogram data of healthy subjects.