Michael Gleeson
Postural Orientation - A Developmental Perspective
Posture is usually seen as a snapshot of an individual’s body shape, but this belies its complexity and ignores the dynamism that is inherent in living systems. Humans are not moments frozen in time, and at its most minimal posture is an orientation to gravity and the earth’s surface, usually as an act of balanced quiet standing.
It is generally agreed that a number of interrelated factors control balanced standing, the main inputs coming from the somatosensory (chiefly proprioceptive), vestibular and visual systems. These systems interact to maintain upright balance, thus allowing the individual to move within the environment and to interact with other objects and creatures.
Postural stability also varies over the individual’s lifespan. A child is not born with the ability to stand, but must learn this skill within a developmental context. Poorly integrated development, trauma and disease can all impact on postural efficiency, and eventually there are age-related changes that impact on the elderly.
This presentation will look at the interaction of the inputs from the proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual systems in the development of upright poise and the changes that occur with ageing.
Michael Gleeson has a background in Physiotherapy and the Alexander Technique, and a special interest in the dynamics of postural orientation. He qualified as a Teacher of the Alexander Technique in 1989 and worked at the Brighton Alexander Training Centre in Sussex from 1992 to 1997 and then in private practice in London until 2001. He qualified as a physiotherapist in 1984 and has worked in hospitals, schools and in community based programs, most recently for the Children’s Physiotherapy Service in Camden, NW London from 2001 to 2005. He has just completed a Masters in Special Education (Sensory Disability), and has been working for Guide Dogs NSW/ACT in Sydney, Australia since July 2006. He is currently establishing a Postural Orientation Program within the structure of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT to provide Alexander Technique to clients with Visual Impairments.
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