Body Mechanics

Good posture and body mechanics are important for several reasons. It is important to teach good posture to prevent back problems through development and into adulthood. With back pain being one of the most common issues today, teaching good posture can allow people to live healthier and happier without as much pain. Ask anyone with back pain how aggravating it is;  by teaching good posture we can improve the quality of life for many individuals. Body mechanics are important to teach to prevent injuries such as strained muscles and disc problems. Teaching people to lift with their legs and not hunch over can prevent many injuries that happen all too often. Teaching proper body mechanics also makes it easier for an individual to get a task done. If we are teaching our clients how to use proper body mechanics to move a large crate, they can get it done easier and without as much as stress on their body rather than them struggle to move it and potentially lead to more issues. Body mechanics make movements more efficient. Lastly, body mechanics are important to teach for the safety of other individuals. For example, if a nurse is having to do a transfer alone, without proper body mechanics and knowledge, he or she may harm or risk harm to their patient. It is safer for everyone, all around, to use proper body mechanics.

An example of how to teach proper body mechanics in an intervention would be to use a stick/pole and place it behind the client where it is in line with their head and back. Then instructing the client to squat and maintain the pole on their back to prevent them from hunching over. This makes the client have to squat with their legs to reach down and pick up something, such as box. An example of teaching proper posture during an intervention would be instructing the client to sit and then showing them where their posture is lacking. In this scenario we will say that they stick their head and neck out forward instead of having it in alignment with the body. Hold a small pillow or towel on the wall behind them and instruct them to slide their head back and hold the towel on the wall. This will make them correct their posture. Also, instruct the client to think about this while driving and to push their head back into the headrest. This will help maintain good posture while driving.

Man from the South

In this short story, the better's wife only had 2 fingers left on her hand. She only had her thumb and index finger. While it did not specifically say in the story that the hand with the amputated fingers was her dominant hand, we can assume it was because she instinctively reached out with that hand. An occupation that she would have trouble with due to this would be being able to shave her legs. Because razor handles are smaller and have a thinner handle, with only a thumb and an index finger, she would have difficulty grasping and maneuvering the razor.

A modification that could be used would be having a razor with a built up handle. A thicker handle would make it easier for the wife to use and hold onto. Another option as a modification would be to use an electric razor. Because electric razors have batteries that need to be charged, most all of them are larger anyways. The wife could easily handle this type of razor in order to shave her legs.