According to Medical Dictionary.com, body mechanics is the study of the action of your muscles during motion or at rest. Abnormal body mechanics can result in poor posture, weakness, pain and muscle spasm. Physical therapy provides methods to improve your body mechanics, which results in reduced symptoms.
Considerations
Have you ever held the telephone between your neck, shoulder and jaw while working on your computer and noticed a pain in your neck? Do you always use proper body mechanics when lifting heavy objects to prevent back injury? Have you ever had low back pain after lifting or moving an object? Probably, because many low back problems are the result of poor body mechanics. In the U.S., more than 10 percent of visits to health care providers are prompted by musculoskeletal complaints. Many are for low back pain. The 1997 research report titled "Physical Therapy Choices for Musculoskeletal Impairments" revealed that 80 percent of health care providers refer patients to physical therapists for help.
Evaluation
If you are referred to a physical therapist, she performs an initial evaluation. She asks your previous medical history, allergies, medications, surgeries, injuries and current symptoms. You may be asked to stand, sit, lie down or walk across the examining room. The therapist watches to see just how your body moves. You may thrust a hip out, lead with one side of your body consistently, put more weight on one leg than the other, raise one shoulder, splay your feet, pronate in or use your back muscles more than your abdominals while walking. Any unequal movement equates to poor body mechanics. Most likely, you are unaware of that your movement is abnormal or that it could be causing your symptoms.
Treatment
Your therapy depends on the type of problem you have, the results of the therapist's evaluation and your doctor's orders. Your therapy most likely can last from four to eight weeks, depending on your progress. Initially, you may work with the physical therapist two to three times per week, which will taper off as you become adept at performing corrective exercises at home. Your therapist may use soft tissue mobilization and myofascial release, which is a form of deep tissue mobilization. These techniques may be uncomfortable initially but are so as you heal. Other therapeutic options might include joint mobilization, functional mobilization and neuromuscular re education. The therapist can teach you how to use the affected part of your body correctly in order to improve your body mechanics and reduce your symptoms, says Body Mechanics.
Effectiveness
The Journal of the Canadian Medical Association reported on a study performed to ascertain the effectiveness of soft tissue manipulations, remedial exercise and postural education in the treatment of sub-acute low back pain. The results of the trial indicated that therapy helped reduce symptoms of the people in the study. Therapy can help improve body mechanics and the symptoms that result from chronic, unequal muscle movements.
References
- Body Mechanics: Fix that Stiff Shoulder - Body Mechanics
- PubMed: The Effect of Body Mechanics Instruction on Work erformance Among Young Workers
- Research Report: Physical Therapy Treatment Choices for Musculoskeletal Impairments
- "Canadian Medical Association Journal": Effectiveness of Massage Therapy for Subacute Low Back Pain: a Randomized Controlled Trial
- Body Mechanicis UK Therapy Clinic: The Sparling Technique
- Medical Dictionary.com: Body Mechanics
