PHYSIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF POSTURE: FUNCTIONS OF SPINAL MUSCLES – ROLE OF REFLEXES IN POSTURE
The muscle fibres responsible for keeping the spine and the body erect extend upwards creating an anti-gravitational force. This force is powerful enough to support the weight of the body as well as to stretch the spine upwards. In a horizontal position such stretching is also possible and we took this into account when our yoga exercises were derived for treatment of back problems. In the horizontal or resting position the muscle extension is less powerful as it does not have the additional task of supporting the weight of the body. It seems obvious, logically speaking, that the ‘weight-bearing’ muscle fibres switch into action only when they face the gravitational force (known as ‘body weight’). This force acting downwards towards the centre of the earth puts stress on the weight-bearing muscle fibres and triggers off a reflex action that makes them extend upwards counteracting the body weight by anti-gravitational force, in particular taking pressure off the discs.*82\330\8*
