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Human positions

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Main article: Posture

Human positions refers to the different positions that the human body can take.

There are several synonyms that refer to the human position, often used interchangeably, but having specific flavors.[1]

  • Posture means the intentionally or habitually assumed position
  • Pose implies artistic or aesthetic intention of the position
  • Bearing refers to the manner, of the posture, as well as of gestures and other aspects of the conduct taking place

Basic positionsEdit



Main article: Standing
File:ModernEgypt, Khedive Tawfiq, DHP13401-1-1 01.jpg

Although standing per se isn't dangerous, there are pathologies associated with it. One short term condition is orthostatic hypotension, and long term conditions are sore feet, stiff legs and low back pain.


Main article: Sitting
File:Paul Cézanne 161.jpg
Sitting requires the buttocks resting on a more or less horizontal structure, like a chair or the ground. Special ways of sitting are with the legs horizontal, and in an inclined seat. While on a chair the shins are usually vertical, on the ground the shins may be crossed in the lotus position or be placed horizontally under the thigh in a seiza.


Main article: Squatting position
File:Michael Votter.jpg
Squatting is a posture where the weight of the body is on the feet (as with standing) but the knees are bent either fully (full or deep squat) or partially (partial, half, semi, parallel or monkey squat). It may be used as a posture for resting or working at ground level when the ground is too dirty to sit or kneel; for defecation (the normal such posture in the many parts of the world that use squat toilets); or as a temporary position during lower body squat exercises.


Main article: Lying (position)
File:Watteau Jupiter und Antiope Detail.jpg
  • Prone position: lying (or laying) on the chest with the face down ("lying down", "laying down", or "going prone").

Lying on either side, with the body straight or bent/curled forward or backward. The fetal position is lying or sitting curled, with limbs close to the torso and the head close to the knees.


Main article: Kneeling
File:Cheselden t36 prayer.jpg
Kneeling is standing not on the feet, but on one or both knees or shins approximately parallel to the ground, possibly raised to an angle depending on the position of the feet. The torso is usually upright but can be considered kneeling at other angles not touching the ground.


File:Crouching Aphrodite Louvre Ma5.jpg
To crouch means "to bend down; to stoop low; to lie close to the ground with legs bent, as an animal when waiting for prey or in fear."[4]

Crouching may involve squatting or kneeling.


This is the static form of crawling which is instinctive form of locomotion for very young children. It is a commonly used childbirth position in non-Western cultures.[5]

Atypical positionsEdit

File:Statue von David Černý.jpg
Atypical positions include:

Such positions are common to break dancing, gymnastics and yoga.

Stress positionsEdit

Main article: Stress positions


Bondage positionsEdit

Main article: List of bondage positions


Childbirth positionsEdit

Main article: Childbirth positions

In addition to the lithotomy position still commonly used by many obstetricians, childbirth positions that are successfully used by midwives and traditional birth-attendants the world over include squatting, standing, kneeling and on all-fours, often in a sequence.[6]

Dance positionsEdit

Main article: Dance positions


Defecation positionsEdit

Main article: Defecation positions

The two most common defecation positions are squatting and sitting. The squatting posture is used for Japanese toilets and squat toilets. It is also commonly used for defecation in the absence of toilets or other devices. The sitting defecation posture is used in Western toilets, with a lean-forward posture or a 90-degrees posture. In general, the posture chosen is a cultural decision although the case has been made that squatting provides health benefits over sitting.

Eating positionsEdit

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Heat escape lessening positionEdit

Main article: Heat escape lessening position


Medical positionsEdit

The following positions are specifically used in medicine:[7]

Recovery positionEdit

Main article: Recovery position

The recovery position or coma position refers to one of a series of variations on a lateral recumbent or three-quarters prone position of the body, in to which an unconscious but breathing casualty can be placed as part of first aid treatment.

Resting positionsEdit


Sex positionsEdit

Main article: Sex positions


Shooting positionsEdit

Sleeping positionsEdit

Main article: Sleeping positions



Submissive positionsEdit

Urination positionsEdit

Main article: Urination

For males, because of the flexible and protruding nature of the penis, it is simple to control the direction of the urine stream. Most males urinate in a standing position although they could urinate sitting down or squatting.

For females, the urine does not exit at a distance from the body and is therefore harder to control. Females most commonly urinate sitting (on a toilet) or squatting. Many females are able to urinate standing, sometimes using a female urination device.

Yoga positionsEdit

Main article: List of yoga postures


See alsoEdit


  1. "Position.", Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 24 October 2007.
  2. Fritz Wittels, "Freud and the Child Woman: The Memoirs of Fritz Wittels", SBN 0300064853, Google Books, p.49
  3. Abstract Kinematic and kinetic validity of the inverted pendulum model in quiet standing, NIH
  5. Engelmann GJ Labor Among Primitive Peoples (1883)
  6. Engelmann GJ Labor Among Primitive Peoples (1883)
  8. Hewes GW: ' World distribution of certain postural habits' American Anthropologist, 57, (1955), 231-44

Further readingEdit

  • Hewes GW: The anthropology of posture Scientific American, 196: 122-132 (1957)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
[[Commons: Category:Standing

| Standing

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
[[Commons: Category:Kneeling

| Kneeling

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
[[Commons: Category:Sitting

| Sitting


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