The Role of the Cerebral Cortex, Postural Awareness, and Corrective Methods in Posture Correction: A Review

Nowadays, lifestyle changes have led to non-structural musculoskeletal disorders. Various methods are used to correct these disorders, such as techniques with a local perspective on the disorder and its correction and techniques focused on the cerebral cortex. This study aims to review the studies that have addressed the role of the cerebral cortex, postural awareness, and used methods in correcting postural disorders.

In this review study, the search was conducted for relevant papers published from 2005 to 2020 in Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, SID, and Academic Search. Of 70 papers found in the initial search, 20 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were reviewed.

In the present study, Some studies examined the cortical map and body representation in the brain (BRIB), muscle behavior, and movement patterns and suggested a reciprocal relationship between BRIB and muscle behavior. According to some studies, the inconsistency of BRIB with the actual state of the body led to improper control of posture and, consequently, poor posture. Some other studies suggested a relationship between postural awareness and muscle dysfunction, followed by poor posture.

Although studies have acknowledged the role of the cerebral cortex and body representation (Homunculus) in correcting and achieving an optimal posture, there are lack of studies on the techniques for improving this representation and its effect on correcting postural abnormalities.