Body Mechanics blog post

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Faulty posture and poor body mechanics is prevalent among much of the population due to issues such as injury and muscle guarding, muscle weakness, and even daily habits that have been formed over time.  Correct posture and body mechanics must be taught to our clients to improve their overall health and well-being. Using proper techniques will allow the client to use their body daily while putting less strain on joints and ligaments and ultimately decreasing fatigue. This will reduce general wear and tear on the body and help keep the client active. Correcting posture will also aid in improved breathing. When a client is hunched over or suffers from a curved spine, the ribcage is only able to expand so far and limits oxygen intake for each breath. Poor circulation is also a factor that is affected due to improper posture. If the client is constantly in a slouched position when sitting at their desk for example, blood flow will become limited due to the path that it must take from the heart to the extremities. Teaching proper body mechanics when lifting heavy objects is especially important. Learning the correct techniques will decrease the risk of spinal injuries and protect the client from becoming immobile due to loss of feeling, strength, or pain. 

We spend many hours in the car and poor posture can take over very quickly once we have been sitting for a while. To enhance posture while driving, I would make sure that the client is in the correct position with the steering wheel not too far away and verify that their knees and hips are in a 90-degree angle. The seat height should be as high as it can go while the client is still safely able to see out of all windows. Towels or other lumbar supports will be used to support the curve of the clients back against the seat. To ensure that the client is using proper body mechanics while lifting we will practice picking up a light box to learn the proper form. The client will be instructed to stand with their feet apart to form a sturdy foundation and keep the box close to the body. They will then be told to bend at the knees while the neck, back, feet are in a straight line. The therapist should stress the importance of lifting with the legs and not the back.  A demonstration should be done before the client performs the action.



Mark. (2016, September 18). 9 tips to improve your posture... whilst driving. Retrieved May 20,
            2019, from http://posturedirect.com/9-tips-to-improve-your-posture-whilst-driving/

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