**3. Rotations and translations of posture**

The main strength of CBP technique is its fundamental underpinnings in engineering and mathematics [1]. It is a general theorem that any object can be decomposed as a rotation, a translation and a deformation [12]. Acknowledging that deformation of living tissues occurs, as in compressing of discs, ligaments, muscles etc., we divert attention to rotations and translations of posture. The main masses of the body, namely the head, thorax and pelvis can be described in relation to the body mass below within a Cartesian coordinate system (**Figures 2** and **3**). That is, the head is described in relation to the thorax, the thorax in relation to the pelvis, and the pelvis in relation to the feet [1, 13].

Any rotations or translations of the body masses as seen in neutral posture via external observation or internally by X-ray is acknowledged as abnormal. Therefore, no offset of the masses equates to the normal postural alignment (i.e. un-subluxated position). It is important to note that in the assessment of a patient, it is the presence of a rotation or translation in the neutral standing position that is abnormal. When Harrison first applied this method of analysis, the treatment became apparent with the postural diagnosis. That is, for any rotation or translation apparent in neutral standing posture, the opposite position would need to be the treatment as applied during exercises, spinal traction or spinal adjustments, as this is the mathematical solution, "the exact reversing of the patient's abnormal posture" [1]. In fact, because the soft tissues require a significant magnitude of stress and strains to attempt to correct the spinal position via mirror image methods, Harrison suggested that postural reflections (i.e. 'mirror image' adjustments) need to be applied in "twice the negative of the translation distances and rotation angles" [1].

It should be noted when Harrison finally developed the full spine analysis of rotations and translations of posture in the mid 1980s, he discovered that virtually

#### **Figure 6.**

*Posture image and antero-posterior lumbar radiographs depicting a left lateral thoracic translation (side shift). Both patients in the radiographs have a 20 mm left lateral shift of T10 off midline. Left patient has a pure left lateral thoracic translation posture, aka 'pseudo-scoliosis.' Right patient has a true left lumbar scoliosis (vertebral rotation). Green line is vertical; red line highlights patient alignment (courtesy CBP seminars).*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102686 An Introduction to Chiropractic BioPhysics® (CBP®) Technique: A Full Spine Rehabilitation…*

50% of all human movements had never been studied (except forward head posture). Thus, the Harrison research group performed several studies to evaluate the normal range of motion for several translation postures including lateral head and thoracic postures as well as anterior and posterior thoracic translation postures (Discussed in Section 6) [2, 3]. Clinically, the spinal coupling patterns as discovered to be associated with these common postural positions are of utmost importance in the treatment of these spinal disorders.

Importance of the study of these never previously studied translation postures can be highlighted in the distinction between true scoliosis and 'pseudo-scoliosis' (**Figure 6**) [14] Pseudo-scoliosis is a lateral thoracic translation posture that characteristically features little to no vertebral rotation (simple to correct) [15, 16], whereas, true scoliosis characteristically features significant vertebral rotation (and is typically much more difficult to treat). X-ray screening of the spine is the only way to differentiate true scoliosis from pseudo-scoliosis.

As mentioned, the absence of rotations and translations of the body masses in standing posture is normal. However, the shape of the spine position, particularly in the sagittal plane has traditionally been debated.
