Orthotonus

Orthotonus is a special type of muscle tension in the body, which is necessary to maintain correct posture and prevent the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In this article we will look at what orthotonus is, how to train it and why it is so important for our health.

Orthotonus is a muscle contraction that is not voluntary, that is, the muscle is contracted without the participation of consciousness. This muscle contraction is similar to the body's automatic response to any action - from lifting your leg to sitting.

The need to develop orthotonus in children is due to the fact that the system of activation of movements is based on the mechanisms of reflex stabilization of motor functions. It manifests itself in a specific tone that shapes the direction of the joint axes (posture) of the child even during intrauterine development. This was convincingly proven in clinical experiments conducted at the end of the 19th century. Neurophysiological mechanisms of reaction to stimuli are characterized by the desire to form stereotypical monotonous reactions, causing the development of conditioned reflexes in a certain situation. Research by physiologists associates the development of orthotonus as a result of the complex interaction of the receptor mechanisms of the motor program with a number of reflex structures. The formed orthotonus in its reactions determines the contractile readiness of the postural muscles of the back and torso. The extent to which these reactions are used is regulated by mechanical environmental factors. Therefore, the degree of expression of this stereotype certainly reflexively increases or decreases under the influence of the environment in which a person finds himself. When the centers of gravity are placed symmetrically relative to the midline on the head, arms, legs, and abdomen, symmetrical support from below is created. A stable vertical position of the body is maintained by consistent muscle tension, which increases as the force of gravity of the head, arms, legs, abdomen is counteracted, as well as due to mechanical factors that counteract the force of gravity, which moves along the three axes of movement of the head. Mechanical factors increase as a person moves from a horizontal to a vertical position, since this increases