OT 430 blog: Posture

Proper body posture and body mechanics is extremely important for injury prevention and to promote safety. In someone who has bad posture and mechanics it is important to educated them on the proper way to sit and move so they can correct their posture before it leads to an injury. Lower back injuries are the most common work related injury and can be result of poor posture in a desk job or poor lifting mechanics in more physically demanding jobs.  Injuries resulting from poor posture and/or body mechanics can be very costly to the employers and the employees as well as leading to long term pain and loss of mobility. This can lead to employees having to take time off to recover which is not beneficial the employer or employee as well. As an occupational therapist you can show your client the proper way to lift heavy items while maintaining proper technique and limiting the stress placed on the back. A practitioner could also show the client alternative methods to lifting lighter items such as the golfer's lift. A therapist could also demonstrate the correct posture someone should sit in while at work and walk the client through the "slouch-overcorrect" technique so the client could do this in his/her work environment.