Biomechanology of Type 1 Diabetes

Musculoskeletal Profile of Normal Weight People without and with T1D

First published in 2008 - Last edited in May 2022 by Luka Tunjic. © All rights reserved.

Next page: A Link Between Occupation and Type 1 Diabetes

Previous page: Postural Profile of People with Type 1 Diabetes

Musculoskeletal system shape is determined by postural profile.

Side note: Humans and Penguins are the only species that have an upright posture. Apes have a semi-stooped posture. Swayback posture is only found among humans.

By the swayback posture, the entire torso is swayed backwards.

By the lower chest forward posture, only the rib cage is swayed backwards.


Any change in the lumbar spine affects the rest of the spine. The change in the spine, whether it is due to postural changes and/or skeletal changes, affects the body in many ways.


The picture below (Picture 2) is taken using the sunlight as the only light source. The sun’s shadow indicates the depth of the spinal furrow.

1. Furrow indicates the position of the spine.

2. The depth of the furrow indicates the shape of the spine.

In the lumbar region, the depth of the furrow indicate,

  1. The shape of the pelvic and lower abdominal cavity.

  2. The depth of the furrow indicates the size of the lumbar curvature.

The deeper the furrow is, the bigger the inward curvature of the lumbar spine is.




In the thoracic region, the depth of the furrow indicates the shape of the thoracic cavity and the shape of the upper abdominal cavity.

By stooping, the outward curvature of the thoracic spine sharply increases and at the same time, the furrow in the thoracic region disappears.

The differences in the depth of the spinal furrows are more visible in the enlarged picture.



In the upper lumbar region and in the lover thoracic region, the depth of the furrow indicates the shape and the size of the upper abdominal cavity. (The pancreas is located in the upper abdominal cavity).


By the swayback posture, and by the lower chest forward posture, the pancreas is shifted further away from the (central) line of gravity.

The position of the body towards the central line of gravity to a greater extent determines the shape of the body.

The depth of the spinal furrow is an important factor in the development of Type 1 diabetes but is not the cause of Type 1 Diabetes.

Please Note: The connection between the swayback and lower chest forward posture with Type 1 diabetes can be fully understood only by understanding the biological basis - biomechanology of weight gain and weight loss, and by understanding the biomechanology of body weight distribution.

Biomechanology (physiology) of weight gain, weight loss, and body weight distribution, is comprehensively explained in this book:


It is the only book that explains body mass distribution.

If you like my research work and find it helpful, please consider supporting me here. Please note! The link will redirect you to the donation page launched in May 2022 on my new website - biomechanology.com