Posture assessment: Barbie

I love Barbie dolls. But what have they done for me lately? Uh, help me work on my posture assessment skills? Fun!

Now, don't get me wrong, I like this a lot: Artist Nickolay Lamm re-created a Barbie doll to reflect more realistic proportions. In fact, he made the doll using average measurements for a healthy 19-year-old.

Sigh. Yes, a 19-year-old who likes her cell phone and computer.

How do I know? Well, she's 19. Duh. And also, her posture. There are some clear signs, so let's take a look! (Why is posture assessment so hard on humans and so easy on these two? Maybe it's that they seem so downright proud of their snazzy swimsuits and shiny hair. I'd say they're completely unaware I might suggest they give up the "Big Boob" thrust and the high heels. I guess they won't be so happy post-posture assessment.)

Let's start with original Barbie.

It's a little hard to tell with her hair, but I don't think she has forward head (a least not much) but her gaze is a bit high. Her shoulders might be a smidge internally rotated, but not bad. She's got not-even-remotely-surprising thrust ribs and a pretty good anterior tilt of her pelvis going on. Her stance is way too narrow and her feet, although they aren't as bad as the Barbies I had, are pretty seriously plantarflexed. My health prediction for her: her tilted pelvis is probably causing her low back tightness and or pain, or will. And with the narrow stance and permanently pointed feet, she's almost certainly headed for pelvic floor muscle issues!

Now new Barbie:

This picture makes it easier to see: definitely forward head, and shoulders quite internally rotated! She also has thrust ribs and an anterior tilt to her pelvis.

Her stance looks close to the correct shoulder-width apart but her feet are splayed. Other than that, foot position is much better: she's either not been wearing high heels like her friend, or done a lot of calf stretches! Overall, my health prediction for her: possible knee issues as well as potential future shoulder, neck, and head problems. And again that low back thing.

They should also both fix those thrust ribs. Maybe they need to stretch and release the psoas or build some core abdominal strength?

Lamm apparently did this project because he feels young girls are negatively influenced by unrealistic images of women. The damage from that is very real, but so are the health problems caused by bad posture. Lamm is to be applauded for this project, but it's too bad he didn't realize that, just as we learn how to feel about our bodies from those around us, so we also learn how to hold our bodies from those around us. And yes, that includes our dolls.

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