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Physiotherapy vocabulary · Assessment and Examination

Posture

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

/ˈpɑːstʃər/nounCore term

In physiotherapy, posture means: The position in which a person holds their body when sitting, standing or lying, especially the alignment of the head, shoulders, spine and hips.

In Turkish: postür, duruş

How it is used

Used with patients and in notes. Physiotherapists observe, assess and correct posture and may describe it as forward head posture or slumped sitting. Many now avoid calling a posture simply 'good' or 'bad' and talk instead about changing position often.

Example sentences

  1. If you sit at your desk all day, try to change your posture every half an hour.

  2. On observation, he stands with a forward head posture and rounded shoulders.

Common collocations

  • poor posture
  • correct your posture
  • postural assessment
  • sitting posture
  • forward head posture
  • assessmentThe process of collecting information about a patient's problem through questions, observation, measurement and tests, in order to understand it and plan treatment.
  • core stabilityThe ability of the deep muscles around the trunk and pelvis to control and support the spine while the arms and legs move.
  • low back painPain felt in the lower part of the back, between the bottom of the ribs and the buttocks, sometimes spreading into the leg.

More terms: Assessment and Examination

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.