LOGICAL ANALYSIS OF POSTURE: ELONGATION OF MUSCLES – EXPERIMENT WITH POSTURE-MAINTAINING MUSCLES

In one experiment, the side of the back that lifts the leg is tight while the other, that supports weight, is soft. Here both groups of muscles function in the opposite way. This is clear evidence of the two groups of muscles carrying out opposite types of function - one supports the weight of the leg and lifts, while the other elongates to maintain posture. What is interesting in this experiment is that while the one group of muscle fibres tightened to lift and support the weight of the leg, the other group elongated to maintain posture on the same side. That is why, even when standing on one leg, the muscles that seem to be carrying extra weight do not feel any different from when the person stands on both legs. This is what happens all the time and in most of our activities. During walking, lifting, jumping etc these muscles have to maintain the vertical position too. Thus posture-maintaining muscles function independently from those muscles that carry out movements or lift weight.

In this experiment, it can clearly be seen that posture-maintaining muscles elongate and push the weight upwards towards the sky. That is why they do not tighten up, even though they participate in supporting substantial weight. A heavy object or weight has a gravitational force directed down the arms, spine, abdomen and legs and this force is counteracted by another force, which is distinctly anti-gravitational. Thus the muscles that support posture can also support weight through an upward thrust or anti-gravitational force. If there were no upward (anti-gravitational) force, a heavy weight would bend the joints of arms and legs like a concertina and crush the discs of the spine. The substantial weight that the weightlifter carries (often up to 500 lbs) could not be held up without an active force directed upwards. This force counteracts the gravitational force created by the combined weight of the body and the weights, and creates a perfect balance or equilibrium. This neutralisation of the downward (gravitational) force is so harmonised that joints of wrists, elbow, shoulders, back, hips, knees, ankles and feet do not bend. They are kept in perfect alignment in the vertical position. What incredible engineering ingenuity created by Nature! Suddenly joints which by nature are mobile or flexible become perfectly aligned even in the most crucial period when a heavy weight has been lifted.

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