Download CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11
Posture and Body Mechanics
I.
II.
Rationale for studying posture and body mechanics
A. Importance in daily activities
B. Importance in sport activities
Posture
A. Definition
B.
General effects of poor posture
C.
Correct standing alignment: point of reference is a plumb line
1. Anterior view
2. Posterior view
3. Lateral view
Correct sitting alignment
Pathological alignment
1. Key terms: lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, scoliosis
a.
D.
E.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Pelvis and lumbar area
a. Excessive lumbar lordosis, anterior pelvic tilt
b. Flat lumbar spine, posterior pelvic tilt
Thoracic area
a.
b. Flattening of the upper back
c.
d.
Head and cervical area
a.
b. Problems resulting from poor cervical posture –
Lower extremities
a. Hips: coxa valga or coxa vara; anteversion or
retroversion
b.
III.
Knees: genu valgus or genu varus; squinting patellae
or "frog's eye" patellae; genu recurvatum
c.
Lower leg: tibial torsion
d. Ankle and foot: pes cavus or pes planus; pronation or
supination; hallux valgus; claw toes or hammertoes
6. Upper extremities
a. Shoulders: rounded shoulders, forward and
downward scapulae, medially rotated shoulders
Muscle imbalances
A. Causes of muscle imbalances
1. Sustained shortening of one muscle and the compensatory
sustained lengthening of the opposite muscle
2. Overuse in sport activity:
3.
4.
5.
6.
B.
IV.
Aging
Joint abnormalities
Injuries
Muscle strains
Treatment of muscle imbalances
1. Lengthen shortened muscle groups
2. Strengthen weak muscle groups
3. Educate patient on proper posture for conscious correction
4. Encourage bilateral activities in unilateral-predominant
activities
5. Conditioning work includes a balanced program
Body mechanics
A. Definition
B. Basic principles
1. Straight or neutral spine
2. Stability maintained by a low center of gravity, a broad base
of support, and a stance in the direction of force application
3. Strong core and hips
C.
Body mechanics during daily activities
1. Lifting objects
2. Pushing or pulling objects
3. Carrying objects
4. Rising from a chair
5. Getting on the floor
D.
V.
Body mechanics in athletic events
1. Basic principles: straight back, abdominal strength, pelvic
neutral for force production, injury prevention, and efficiency
of movement
2. Examples of proper body mechanics for specific sports
E. Body mechanics for the rehabilitation clinician’s daily activities
1. Equal distribution of weight over both feet
2. Feet in correct alignment and in direction of forces you are
applying
3. Force applied from legs, not arms
4. Back straight
5. Moving from one foot to the other foot and back again
6. Keeping upper extremities relaxed and in proper alignment
Body-awareness programs
A. Shared principles
1. The techniques produce self-improvement through increased
body awareness
2. A strong body-mind interaction exists that determines an
individual's movement patterns and abilities
3. The whole body, not just the area of pain or dysfunction, is
addressed
B. Uses
1. To enhance athletic skill and performance
2. To treat injuries that impede normal body function
C.
Feldenkrais Method
1. Philosophy: a person's unconscious pattern of movement is
influenced by the unconscious sensory-motor relationship
that affects muscles and joints and their associated motor
skills and abilities; by the individual's perception of balance,
space, and gravity; by self-image; and by kinesthetic
awareness
2. Approach: the method includes engaging the whole person
in the treatment regimen, promoting self-esteem, and
improving learning skills
3. Technique: pain is avoided; movement is performed slowly,
beginning with simple movements and advancing to more
complex ones; imagery and visualization with repetitive
movement are used to change quality of motion
a. "Awareness through Movement"
b. "Functional Integration"
D.
Alexander Technique
1.
E.
Philosophy: daily stresses over time cause increased muscle
tension that negatively affects posture and movement;
unlearning the old, incorrect way of performing activities is
key to natural, effective, and efficient body movement
2. Approach: self-examination of functions such as posture,
breathing, balance, and coordination leads to increased
awareness and release of tension; the approach then
focuses on reeducation to new ways of performing activities;
finally, one learns new ways of handling stress to avoid
recurrences of undesirable muscle tension
3. Technique: awareness of improper techniques through touch
and verbal cueing, correction of motion, and repetition of
new motions are followed by correct motion execution
without assistance as the new motion becomes natural;
release of tension in the core (head, neck, and back) must
occur before changes in extremities
Pilates Method
1. Philosophy is that movement starts from the core, which is
the powerhouse; integration of body awareness with
conditioning
2. Approach: advocates continued movement through a natural
evolution from one exercise to the next to build strength and
rebalance the body
3. Technique: can be done with or without equipment
a. Relaxation
b. Concentration
c.
Control
d. Breathing
e. Centering
f. Postural alignment
g.
Fluidity of movement
h. Stamina