Posture and Body Mechanics

It is very important to be aware of your posture and body mechanics throughout your day. There are many things that could go wrong for a person who does not have proper posture or body mechanics. Proper posture will reduce the risk or injury or progressive deformity, because having your body in the proper alignment allows everything to work as it should. Having correct posture allows muscles and all of your organs to function properly and optimally. Also, incorrect posture can cause nerve compression in the spine, which would later cause even more problems. Correct body mechanics is a huge part in preventing back injury. 80% of adults will have back pain sometime in their life. If they were taught correct body mechanics at a younger age, that number could be reduced. There are many ways to prevent back pain dealing with body mechanics. One of the most important ways is to never twist your trunk while lifting objects. This puts strain on your thoracic and lumbar vertebra causing back pain. 
While working with a client with poor body mechanics, I would instruct the client, family, or caregivers the correct way to lift and carry a load. If the client is independent, I would educate them on how to do all of their ADLs with little to no strain on their body. If the client is dependent, I would educate the caregiver on the correct body mechanics and posture needed to successfully perform a transfer without injury to themselves or the client. Another thing I would work with the client and caregivers on would be that pushing a heavy object is always more effective and more safe. Pushing and object causes way less strain and stress on the back than pulling an object does. With making just this one little change, it could make a huge difference in the health of the client or caregiver.