Proper Body Mechanics
Proper Body Mechanics
Proper Body Mechanics
Objectives: the way you hold your body when you move around. Proper body mechanics help you avoid
muscle fatigue and injuries as you walk, bend over, lift objects, or perform other activities of daily living.
Posture
We have all been told since childhood to "stand up straight". But it's easy to get into bad habits. Good
body mechanics are based on good posture. Good posture means the spine is in a "neutral" position -
not too rounded forward and not arched back too far. But what does good posture look like?
It's easy, follow these few steps:
Stand with your feet apart.
Create a small hallow in your lower back by tucking the tailbone in and tilting your pelvic bone
slightly forward. This is done by tightening the muscles of the buttocks and thus, rotating the
pelvis into the neutral position. Be careful not to arch too much.
Pull the shoulders back and lift your chest.
Lift your chin until it is level and relax your jaw and mouth.
That's it, proper posture! Feel how balanced the spine is? Very little energy is now required to keep it
that way. Practice this position until it becomes second nature.
Being aware of your posture during all of your daily activities is the best way to ensure you are using
good body mechanics. Here are a few exercises that can help improve your posture.
Chin Tuck:
Sit or stand using proper posture.
Gently pull your chin back to a comfortable position
Perform this exercise in sets of ten, 2-3 times daily.
Shoulder Squeeze
Sit or stand using proper posture.
Bring you elbows behind you while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Hold for 5 seconds
Perform this exercise in sets of ten, 1-2 times daily.
Standing
Millions of people spend a good deal of their time on their feet. Standing work, including bending,
lifting, carrying and reaching can be tough on the back - especially if proper body mechanics are not
being used. Use the following guidelines to minimize the risk of injury to your back when doing standing
work:
Avoid standing in one position for prolonged periods of time. Change your position as often as
you can. This will not only help relieve stress on your spine, it also helps increase circulation and
decrease muscle fatigue. When you can, stretch. Gentle stretching exercises during a break can
help ease muscle tightness.
Be aware of your posture. Are you standing correctly? Check and double check throughout your
day.
Make sure the surface you are standing on is firm and level.
If possible, lean on a solid support. This can help reduce fatigue during long periods of standing.
Sleeping
We spend about one-third of our time in bed, so we can't ignore how our bodies are positioned during
sleep. As during our waking hours, the goal is to maintain a neutral spine even while we are in bed.
Here's how:
Make sure you are sleeping on a firm mattress.
Avoid sleeping on your stomach or with your head elevated on an oversized pillow. These
positions cause the back to arch and places stress on the spine.
The side and back are the best positions for maintaining a neutral position and a must for
anyone with back or neck problems.
Place a pillow between your knees (for side sleeping) or behind your knees (for back sleeping).
This will help keep your spine in the right position and help ease stress on the lower back.
Use a pillow that allows you to keep your head aligned with the rest of your body. Numerous
and/or oversized pillows may look great on a made bed but do not necessarily benefit your back
while sleeping.
Lifting
The process of lifting places perhaps the greatest loads on the low back and therefore, has the highest
risk of injury. Use of proper lifting mechanics and posture is critical to prevent injury. In the end, it is
more important how you lift than how heavy a weight you lift. Here are a few tips on how to lift safely:
Place the load immediately in front of you.
Bend the knees to a full squat or lunge position.
Bring the load towards your chest.
Assume a neutral position with your back.
Tighten the lumbar and buttocks muscles to "lock" the back.
Lift now from the legs to the standing position.
DO NOT:
Lift from a twisted / sideways position.
Lift from a forward stooped / imbalanced position.
As you can see, proper body mechanics are vitally important for keeping your spine healthy. And it's
easy to incorporate these principals into your daily life. It may seem unnatural at first, but if you keep at
it, they will easily become routine. Your back will thank you for it!
If you are having back pain, have questions about a spinal condition, or need help maintaining good
body mechanics, contact us here at CCSI. One of our spine specialists can help you.