20107 - POSTURAL HYGIENE, FLEXIBILITY AND RELAXATION

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Sara González Millán

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 3

Academic year: 2025

Teaching course: 1

• Spanish

The subject is normally taught in Spanish, although there may be times when some of the participating teaching staff will express themselves in Catalan. Much of the bibliography and resources will be in English.  

The subject Postural hygiene, flexibility and relaxation, will develop the methodology, planning and assessment of flexibility training. In a related way, it will especially focus on the importance of education and assessment of posture, from the perspective of health, rehabilitation and also sports performance. Body awareness, relaxation and breathing techniques will be developed as fundamental elements of health. Finally, health training will be approached from a holistic psycho-physical perspective, introducing body therapies as a therapeutic tool within physical exercise sessions. 

The gender perspective will be an aspect that the teaching staff will take into account by making an inclusive and non-sexist use of language and promoting the equal participation of everyone in a respectful and inclusive environment both in the master classes and in the seminar sessions. Female bibliographical references will be provided in the classroom to the extent that the subject allows it and the full first name of the authors will be used. Regarding the images of the content in the teaching material, the non-perpetuation of stereotypes will be encouraged.

The classroom (physical or virtual) is a safe space, free of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and discriminatory attitudes, either towards students or teachers. We trust that together we can create a safe space where we can make mistakes and learn without having to suffer the prejudices of others.

METHODOLOGY, PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT OF FLEXIBILITY

1. Flexibility: a manifestation of range of motion (ROM)
2. Biological and neurophysiological bases of ADM
   • Structural factors
   • Age-related factors
   • Factors related to daily motor actions
   • Gender-related factors
   • Factors related to temperature
   • Factors related to time of day
   • Factors related to physical exercise
   • Neurophysiological factors of flexibility
3. Flexibility training methodology
   • Flexibility methods
   • Stretching and developing flexibility during the training session
4. Flexibility training planning
   • Flexibility periodization phases
5. Assessment and control of flexibility training
   • Trigonometric method (indirect)
   • Direct method (goniometry, filming...)

RELAXATION AND BREATHING

1. Nervous system 

• Basic anatomy and physiology
• Viscero-somatic / somatic – visceral reflex
• Stress
• “Tips” to implement a “slow” lifestyle in our clients

2. Concept of Mindfulness

3. Practical application of concepts with our training clients

• Individual practice
• Assisted practice
• Guided meditation

HOLISTIC HEALTH AND INTEGRATIVE BODY THERAPY

1. Holistic Health

2. Basics of Integrative Body Therapy (IBT)

• Body armor and body characters
• Body awareness and muscle tension
• Body and emotion

3. Applying TCI perspective in PT training and physical activity for health

• Psycho-body perspective applied to training
• Experiencing the body's organismic self-regulation
• Learn breathing techniques and body exercises in the therapeutic field

Qualification system (Royal Decree 1125/2003, of 5 September) that establishes the European system of credits and the system of qualifications to the university degrees of official character and validity in all the state territory:

0 - 4,9: Suspended

5,0 - 6,9: Approved

7,0 - 8,9: Notable

9,0 - 10: Excellent

The final grade of the students is the result of a continuous assessment through different assessment activities. Passing the subject is the result of a grade equal to or greater than 5 points (out of 10 points) according to the following weighting table

IMPORTANT:

If the continuous assessment is not passed due to non-compliance with any of the necessary requirements described above, the student will fail the subject.

The average of the evaluation systems: SE3/SEV2/SEV3/SEV4, referring to the individual evaluation must be equal to or greater than 3 points out of 10 to be able to average with the other evaluation tests. Failure to reach this minimum score implies failure of the subject.

Any form of academic fraud will be sanctioned in accordance with the center's assessment regulations. If signs of fraud are detected, including the improper use of generative artificial intelligence tools, the subject's teaching staff may call the student for an individual interview with the aim of verifying their authorship.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in this subject is regulated in the Learning Plan. It should be consulted to find out the specific conditions of use.

Albert, JJ (2009). Tenderness and aggressiveness. Character: Gestalt, Bioenergetics and Enneagram.

Castellanos, N. (2022). Neuroscience of the body: how the body sculpts the brain. Kairós Publishing.

Geuter, U. (2015). The history and scope of body psychotherapy. The handbook of body psychotherapy and somatic psychology, 22-39.

The Right Posture (2018). Valeria Gattoranchieri

Lowen, A. (2010). Bioenergetics exercises. Editorial Sirio SA.

Global Postural Reeducation (2022). Phillipe Souchard, Orazio Meli, Diego Sgamma and Paolo Pillastrini

EFBA-P - Answers to the 15 questions on the scientific validity of the Bioenergetic Analysis. (2004), European Federation of Psychotherapy Análisis Bioenergético. 

Stretching of muscle chains (2008). Jorge Ramon Gomaríz

Turner PL, Mainster MA. Circadian photoreception: aging and the eye's important role in systemic health. Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Nov;92(11):1439-44. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2008.141747. Epub 2008 Aug 29. PMID: 18757473; PMCID: PMC2582340.

Anatomical Pathways (2014). Thomas W. Myers