Thursday, August 31, 2006

er back pain : Putting Safe Posture into Practice

Understanding body mechanics means understanding how we use our body. Proper body mechanics result when we put the neutral spine posture into action. To use proper body mechanics we need to learn how the spine should work during activities like: rising from a chair, walking, and lifting.

Sitting

Healthy sitting posture is based on the neutral spine position. Positioning your hips and knees at 90 degrees can help you keep a neutral sitting posture. Remember this position is balanced between the extremes of lumbar movement. Remember to choose a properly designed chair to help support the lumbar spine. The neutral spine position is also important when getting up from a chair. Holding the spine safely in neutral, the pelvic wheel turns forward, placing the "nose over the toes". With the feet placed shoulder width apart, stand upright. Use the buttock and thigh muscles to push yourself up. Do not twist or bend too far over at the waist and put too much strain on the lumbar spine.

Walking

Proper body mechanics are also important while walking - try to maintain the neutral spine position while walking. In the neutral position, the legs and arms swing naturally during forward motion. Conditions that alter the normal way of walking, and cause a limp, can severely stress the spine. While walking, always try to maintain your spine in the neutral position.

Lifting

Lifting is one of the most dangerous activities for the spine. The neutral position MUST be used to reduce the risk of injury. With the spine held in the neutral position, the movement occurs as the pelvic wheel turns. The hip is the axis of pelvic rotation - not the back! Notice how the back loses the neutral position when the pelvis does not rotate forward. This posture focuses the force on the back muscles during a lift. Lifting in a neutral position allows the larger and more powerful leg muscles to do the lifting.

When lifting - first find the neutral position. Bend at the hips by rotating the pelvic wheel at the hip joint axis. Keep the safe posture, hold the object securely, and use the large leg muscles to generate power. Tighten the abdominal muscles during the lift to create a stabilizing corset around the trunk.
lower back pain

http://www.spineuniversity.com/public/spinesub.asp?id=85

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