Mechanics Are Everything: Preventing Spinal Misalignment Through Good Mechanics

Back care is a lifelong endeavor. From early childhood through old age, it’s important for people to exercise care and caution when sitting, standing, walking, and exercising. Even the smallest amount of damage could pose long-term health implications for the spinal column and its surrounding tissue.

Body mechanics are a series of targeted actions, stretches, and exercises patients can use to improve the health of their spines and muscles. Training patients to exercise good body mechanics is one way that chiropractors can improve long-term health outcomes for their patients. Coupled with physical therapy, manual manipulation and other therapy methodologies, good body mechanics are an excellent way to reduce the likelihood of spinal curvature deformities and other adverse health issues.

At Ideal Spine, we stress the importance of good body mechanics and encourage chiropractors to focus heavily on them when creating a Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) treatment plan.

Exercising good mechanics

Instructing patients on how to exercise good body mechanics is likely one of the most challenging aspects of chiropractic practice. Practitioners must be able to clearly and effectively demonstrate and explain a range of complex ideas in a way patients can both understand and implement in their daily lives.

Chiropractors can use visual aids, like spinal models, to show the importance of good body mechanics to their patients. Similarly, during manipulation or physical therapy, practitioners can demonstrate good mechanics by manipulating a patient’s body to mimic good body mechanics.

Here are a few rules of thumb relating to good body mechanics that holistic healthcare practitioners can pass along to their patients:

• Mechanics while standing: There are a number of good body mechanics patients can practice while standing and walking. For instance, the spine should be kept in a neutral position, neither curved nor flat. Patients should place both feet firmly and flatly on the ground, and distribute their weight evenly. The ear, shoulder, hip, and ankle should be kept in a straight line at all times.
• Mechanics while sitting: Sitting is detrimental to spinal health outcomes. Encourage patients to avoid sitting as much as possible. If their job requires them to spend extended periods of time sitting, ask patients to take breaks to stretch at least once every 15 minutes. Additionally, recommend keeping their head upright and their neck in a straight line as much as possible.
• Mechanics while lying: Whenever a patient is lying down, they should do everything possible to keep their spine in alignment. If a patient sleeps on their side, encourage them to place a pillow between their legs and a pillow under their neck so as to keep the spine in alignment.

It’s important for patients to exercise these tips for good body mechanics consistently. Doing so will result in better health outcomes throughout their life, and reduce their risk of suffering from spinal curvature.

Extol the value of good mechanics

Chiropractic BioPhysics is an innovative holistic healthcare methodology chiropractors can use to improve patient care when it comes to things like instilling better body mechanics. If you’re looking for ways to change your patients’ experience and elevate the long-term health outcomes of your patient base, consider visiting the next Chiropractic BioPhysics seminar near you.

Chiropractic BioPhysics® corrective care trained Chiropractors are located throughout the United States and in several international locations. CBP providers have helped thousands of people throughout the world realign their spine back to health, and eliminate a source of chronic back pain, chronic neck pain, chronic headaches and migraines, fibromyalgia, and a wide range of other health conditions. If you are serious about your health and the health of your loved ones, contact a CBP trained provider today to see if you qualify for care. The exam and consultation are often FREE. See www.CBPpatient.com for providers in your area.