Posture and Body Mechanics

By Quiana Roberts, PT, DPT

Back pain is one of the most common complaints of patients that walk through the doors of a physical therapist. According to the NIH back pain affects about 80% of Americans at some time in their lives.
One way to prevent or reduce the risk of back pain is to maintain good posture and practice good body mechanics.
The spine should have three normal curves. The neck (cervical spine) and low back (lumbar spine) both curve toward the body and the mid back (thoracic spine) curves away from the body. In order to maintain the proper curvature of the spine, you have to stand, sit, or lie with good posture. Practicing correct posture and body mechanics will prevent strain and overuse impairments, prevent back and neck ache, and prevent muscular pain. If good posture is not maintained, ligaments and muscles stretch over time, and proper alignment can change. Chronic pain can result from stretched or shortened structures.
In sitting and standing, all three normal curves should be present. Your back should remain straight and your ears should lie in a vertical line with your shoulders and hips. In sitting, body weight should be distributed evenly over both hips with feet flat on the floor. Knees should be bent and even with or slightly higher than your hips.
Proper body mechanics during lifting should be practiced at all times. To pick up an object that is lower than the level of your waist, keep your back fairly straight and bend your knees. Do not keep legs straight and bend your back because this can lead to a muscle strain or ligament sprain. Stand with a wide base of support close to the object you are going to lift. Tighten your abdominal muscles and use your leg muscles to lift the object by straightening your knees. Stand up without twisting and carry the object close to your body. To lower an object, make sure your feet are flat on the floor, keep stomach muscles tight, bend at the hips and knees.
If you have chronic back pain or have had a recent onset of back pain check with your physical therapist, primary care physician, or orthopedic physician about pain management and posture correction.