Shape

Shapes are a funny thing, they show up everywhere and we take them for what they are, however they really tell us a lot about their role in the world. A rocket, a picture frame, a knee joint all give us information about what they do based on their shape. In physical therapy school shape is a topic of conversation in some contexts, but the true appreciation for what it reveals was never fully captured. The way someone moves may be determined by the number of shapes they can create and how easily they can recreate them.

Most of us have probably taken notice of someone’s shape at a point in time. The classic example would be an individual that looks as if they just got off a horse. The bow-legged individual. That shape has a very real impact on how they move and what options they have available in their daily life. Squatting starts to become a real problem, bending down to pick up something from the floor is not as easy as it once was, running may be difficult. Their knees might no longer produce a shape that is conducive to those activities.

Anatomical shape not only provides information about what a body is capable of now, but it may also provide useful information about where that person has been. It could reveal the path they took to get here, and what might be helpful to restore their mobility. Another example would be someone who appears duck footed. Their toes are turned outward, not just because of their feet, but potentially due to compensations made throughout their body as a product of their environment. This is commonly seen in powerlifters, and it could be due to the heavy weights they pick up on a regular basis. Their body has altered its shape to accommodate the resistance training, and it provides them the best opportunity to pick up heavy things often. The tradeoff is any activity that requires the ability to turn their legs inward.

The shape of a person is a wealth of information. As a physical therapist this is invaluable and it may help a patient get back to where they want to be. Shape may be a larger determinant than any other measure. Patients often need someone that can appreciate it and assist in changing it.

Austin Ulrich, Physical Therapist