Inspection of posture (TCM)

walking inspection

WALKING

When walking, if the patient puts his/her hands on the abdomen and bends forward, it shows that he/she most probably suffers from abdominal pain; if the patient puts his/her hand around the waist and cannot move the legs freely, it shows that he/she most suffers from lumbus and leg pain; if the patient’s body shakes unsteadily, it pertains to liver wind stirring internally; if the patient stops suddenly and puts the hands on the chest, it mostly pertains to true heart pain (angina pectoris)

sitting

sitting inspection

Sitting with raised head and asthma with plenty of phlegm pertain to the lung excess syndrome; while sitting with droopy head and shortness of breath with less talk pertain to the lung deficiency syndrome. If the patient can only sit but not lie, and cough appears while lying, it is a condition of water qi intimidating the heart due to insufficient heart yang. Sudden faint on sitting up from lying is due to loss of blood and qi deficiency. The restless changing of posture or moving around pertains to fidget or abdominal distention.

Lying

Lying inspection

Supine position pertains to yang while prone position to yin. When lying, if the patient can turn over easily and likes supine position with stretched legs, or wishes to remove clothing, it pertains to yang syndrome, heat syndrome or excessive syndrome, which is usually due to the exorbitant evil-qi with strong genuine-qi. If the patient cannot turn over easily and wishes to have more clothing on with crooked limbs and body, it pertains to yin syndrome, cold syndrome or deficiency syndrome, which is usually caused by the insufficiency of genuine-qi.

Standing

Standing Inspection

When standing, if the patient cannot keep steady and it seems that he is drunk, it pertains to liver wind stirring internally due to qi and blood upflowing causing upper body exuberance and lower body vacuity. If the patient cannot endure long standing and has to lean against other materials, it is mostly caused by vacuity or exhaustion of qi and blood, and yin and yang which cannot moisten the orifices.