Proper Posture and Body Mechanics


It is important to teach proper posture and body mechanics to a client who has faulty posture and poor body mechanics because it will improve their health and prevent injuries. First, proper posture and body mechanics can prevent injury to the spinal column. With correct alignment of the spinal column, there is a decreased risk of compression and injury to the intervertebral discs and impingement of the spinal nerves because the vertebrae are lined up correctly on top of each other. The use of proper body mechanics can also improve a client’s stability. If the client can learn to increase their base of support, they will be at a decreased risk of falling. Also, correct posture can increase a client’s ability to breathe. We have learned that as a person ages, sometimes an excessive thoracic kyphosis occurs that decreases the area in the thoracic cavity which means the lungs have less room to expand when breathing. This occurrence results in a decreased ability to take a breath and a decrease in the amount of oxygen entering the body. Finally, by using correct body mechanics and posture, a client can take unnecessary stress off of joints. Sitting or standing for a long period of time puts stress on the joints of the body, so if we teach our clients proper posture and body mechanics, we can reduce that stress.
For a client who typically does a lot of lifting, one important thing to teach is the proper technique for lifting. It is important to make sure you bend at the hips and feet and keep your back straight as you squat. Keep the object you are lifting close to your body, and do not twist from side to side as you are lifting the object. To increase stability while lifting, widen your base of support by keeping your legs further apart rather than right next to each other.

For a client who stands still for an extended period of time each day, the weight of the body is constantly putting more pressure on the spine and the lower extremities. To decrease the stress on the spine and lower extremities, keep a block next to the feet, and lift a foot every once in a while to take the pressure off the spine. It would be helpful to alternate legs as well when doing so.

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