Skip to main content

Body Mechanics

It is very important to teach proper body mechanics and posture to our clients to prevent injuries. If a person does not have good posture or body mechanics, it can be harmful to their body and cause future injuries. The human spine is designed to be flexible, but also needs to stay in alignment. For people who perform repetitive motions on a daily basis, we must see how they perform the task and determine if there would be a more efficient and optimal way for their body to move. For a person with exaggerated spinal curves, muscles on one side would be stretched and weakened, while the muscles on the opposite side would be shortened and tightened. For a person who stays in a flexed position of their spine will cause the intervertebral dies material to glide backwards, possibly causing a herniation. Posterior herniations are most common because humans generally flex their spine repetitively. It is good to teach a proper lifting techniques and to keep a flat back to avoid getting hurt. Faulty posture and body mechanics puts additional unnecessary stress on our bodies. 
When teaching a client how to properly lift heavy boxes for his job, he must bend at the knees and hips in order to lift with his legs instead of his back. He needs to bring the box close to his body before lifting it and keep it close the entire time. Additionally, he needs to keep good alignment of his back and never twist while holding the boxes. 
For a woman who works at a desk all day, she must maintain the normal spinal curves to prevent discomfort or problems in the future. Slouching and rounding her back over time are two postures that would cause her back muscles to be stretched and weakened, and her chest and abdominal muscles to be shortened and tightened. If she feels her body becoming tense, encourage her to take several walks around the office each day. Finally, she needs to keep her head in line with her body. By having her head just two inches forward, it more than doubles the weight of her head that is placed on the spine.

Comments

Post a Comment


Logan and I on our first day of OT school.

Popular posts from this blog

Assistive Devices

When deciding what assistive device is best for each client, there are many factors that need to be considered in order to have the best "fit." It is important to consider the physical condition of the client, including their disability, weight bearing status, strength, and balance. For example, if the client is not allowed to put any weight through one leg, you would not want to suggest they receive a cane.  Additionally, it is important to fit the assistive device to your client to ensure safety and proper body mechanics. If the client's crutches are too short and not adjusted to match their landmarks we use to fit, then they will likely have poor body mechanics.  If these factors are not considered, it can be detrimental to your client and cause an increase in risk for falls or further injury. To properly fit a cane or rolling walker to your client, the hand grip should be at the level of their greater trochanter to allow their elbow to be flexed 20-30 de...
1 comment
Read more

Media Project

The most significant thing I learned from this assignment is the importance of taking the client’s values into consideration when providing therapy services. If the client does not feel like the intervention is meaningful to them, they will not be invested in it. I learned that it can sometimes be difficult to find something that relates to a client’s needs. It may require extra hours, consulting other therapists, thinking outside the box, and adapting an item to best fit each individual client. You may have to try something new with a client, because they have different values and needs than previous clients.  This assignment prepared me to think outside the box. Additionally, it allowed me to look at the whole client and what are their most important needs. For Maurice, he was afraid of becoming bored and lonely. I wanted to create something that was portable and could be kept with him at all times to prevent the feelings he was scared of. The Legen-Dairy Notebook incorp...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shoulder / Scapulohumeral Rhythm

Scapulohumeral Rhythm refers to the relationship of the humerus and scapula during upper extremity movements.  The clinical relevance of this topic is to be aware that to obtain the full 180 degrees of motion, there must be a synchronized movement between the scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joint. There is a 2:1 ratio of these two joints. For every 2 degrees the humerus moves at the glenohumeral joint, the scapula moves 1 degree at the scapulothoracic joint. When the shoulder joint moves the full 180 degrees, the humerus moves 120 degrees and the scapula moves 60 degrees. Both joints contribute to the overall motion needed to complete full shoulder range of motion.  The shoulder joint has the greatest mobility of any joints in the body, so the muscles and ligaments that are a part of the joint are essential for maintaining stability. Scapulohumeral Rhythm allows for optimal length-tension relationships to prevent active insufficiency at the glenohumeral joint. The scapula ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Translate