Physical

The tail plays a vital role for animals. With the help of their tail, they can hunt, move and express their emotions. People have other organs for these purposes, so instead of a tail we are born with four coccygeal vertebrae that fuse into one bone. I describe coccyx diseases and functions in detail in […]

Of course, the best rest is sleep! Or at least a horizontal position. But what is best to lie on? There is a widespread opinion that it’s best for the back to lay on boards! Our ancestors preferred just the opposite: thick feather beds. So does it really matter what you lie on? Does posture […]

Abdominal muscles are traditionally associated with a lovely figure. A “six-pack” can attract attention and symbolize sexuality. We associate these muscles with health as well. Abdominal muscles form our abdominal wall. If we had no abdominal muscles, our internal organs would stretch our abdomen beyond belief! Your small intestine alone is about 20 feet long. […]

Everyone knows it’s more convenient to sit than to stand and it’s even better to lie down than it is to sit. If we take a look at this situation from a mechanical point of view, the best positions are standing and lying. That’s why, when a person suffers from back disease or a spine […]

The lower movable spinal part is the lower back that consists of five vertebrae. At the top, they are connected with the twelfth thoracic vertebra (Th12) and at the bottom, with the first sacral vertebra (S1). Some people have not five, but six or four lumbar vertebrae. Such an anatomic variation is not a disease, […]

Great actors can easily play different roles. For example, dancers in the ballet “Swan Lake” by Pytor Tchaikovsky become real swans. In real life, you can’t often find a beautiful human neck that resembles a swan. But whatever a neck may be, swan-like or a very short, the cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae that […]

The previous chapters have only been an introduction to the central theme: posture. Finally I’m ready to make my point!  In short, it’s easy to see that all the different forms of posture can be divided into two groups: correct (physiologic) and incorrect (pathologic).  Near the end of the 19th century, scientists described five types […]

Would you say that your little finger is more important than your heel? Of course not! Every part of your body is important.  But still, you have to admit, some parts are more important than others. For instance, you can survive without a finger or a toe, but it’s impossible to live without your spinal […]

The great artist, mechanic, and inventor of The Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci, represented the body in the form of a mechanical device. We can say that he was the “Father of Biomechanics,” the science of mechanical movement of body parts. In the section of physics dedicated to movement (mechanics), such key notions as strength, supporting […]

Do you always know what position to take at just the right moment? Of course not! But it’s important to know that the position of your body in space is always connected with your next movement. To explain this, let’s try another simple experiment. Sit in a chair with your feet placed on the floor […]