Researchers wanted to see how head movement (and posture) affects how you walk and jump(1). This study found there are strong connections between how the head is positioned and how well the rest of your body moves. This is important because it shows that your head position matters for how you perform activities like walking, jumping and perform in your sport of choice.
Head Movements and How You Move
When the athletes in this study had their head tilted or moved to the side, it impacted their performance. So if you have abnormal posture, your body cannot move and perform at its best.
The also discovered that younger university students tend to have their heads leaning forward. This is an important finding because it means that even young people can have problems with their head posture that affect how they move and perform in sports and life.
How We Tested Athletic Skills
The test the researchers used was a counter movement jump test and it’s a way to measure how strong their legs are and how high they could jump. They also added a variation where you swing your arms during the jump to see if it made a difference.
The researchers found that the position the head affects how your brain and body work together to perform these activities. So if you have an athlete with poor head position and a competitor with good posture, the good postured athlete can perform better and come out stronger in the end, even though they may not be as “strong” in the gym.
Why Head Posture Matters
From this research we discovered that the way you hold your head can mess up how your body works. When your head isn’t in the right position, it can throw off how your brain and body talk to each other. This can make you not move as well and perform poorer in your sports and everyday life.
To do activities like jumping and walking, your brain needs to get information from your body. When your head is in the wrong position, this information can get mixed up, making it harder for you to move correctly. This is like having a bad connection between your brain and your muscles.
Looking at the Bigger Picture
Most studies only focus on how the head moves forward and backward. We found that it’s also important to look at how the head moves to the side. This is a new discovery that can help us understand how head posture affects our movements.
How Posture Affects Walking
When we walk, our body needs to be in the right position. If our head is not aligned properly, it can make walking harder. We found that head posture can change how we walk. This means that how you hold your head affects how you walk and can make you walk unevenly.
Limitations of the Study
This study had some limitations. The researchers only tested young and healthy people, so we’re not sure if the same things apply to older or less healthy individuals. We also didn’t look at how the spine and pelvis affect these movements. This is something that future studies can explore.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the way you hold your head can affect how you walk and jump and perform in sports and everyday life. It’s not just about forward and backward movements; it’s also about side-to-side movements. Understanding these connections can help us improve our posture and movement. Future studies can explore this further and help us move better.
References
- Are Rotations and Translations of Head Posture Related to Gait and Jump Parameters? by Nabil Saad ,Ibrahim M. Moustafa, Amal Ahbouch, Nour Mustafa Alsaafin, Paul A. Oakley and Deed E. Harrison.
