POSTURE AND ITS BIOMECHANICS

AND MUSCULOSKELETAL
DISORDERS

ANURADHA
 Vertebral column
 The vertebral column also known as back bone is a complex structure which
meet the demands of mobility and stability of the trunk.

Functions of vertebral column :-

 Supports the head
 Help maintain balance in the upright position
 Enclose and protect the spinal cord
 Permits movement ( forward, backward, sideways , and rotate)
 Absorbs shock during walking
Vertebrae total 33 vertebras are divided as

 Cervical (neck) - 7 vertebrae (C1-C7)

 Thoracic (chest) - 12 vertebrae (T1-T12)
 Lumbar (lower back) - 5 vertebrae (L1-
L5)
 Sacral (pelvis) - 5 fused vertebrae (S1-
S5)
 Coccygeal (tail) - 4 vertebrae (Co1-Co4)
Movements
TYPES OF POSTURE
STATIC POSTURE
 The body and its segments are
aligned and maintained in certain
position.
 Constant pattern of posture.
 E.g.: Standing, lying and sitting.
DYNAMIC POSTURE
 The body and its segments are
constantly modified and adjusted
to meet the changing
circumstances which arise as the
result of movement. E.g.: Walking,
running, jumping, throwing and
lifting.
POSTURAL ALIGNMENT

 Postural alignment (and the changes/adjustments) is the way

balance is maintained
 Maintaining the COG within the BOS
 If this relationship isn’t maintained then a system will be
unbalanced
BASE OF SUPPORT

 BOS refers to the area beneath

an object or a person that
includes every point of contact
that the person makes with the
supporting surface.
 It defines individual ability to
balance.
 CENTER-OF-GRAVITY

 The point about which the mass is evenly

distributed
 The balance point
 If an object is symmetrically loaded the COG will
be at the geometric center
 Good Posture

 A good posture is the state of muscular and skeletal balance which protects the
supporting structures of the body against injury and progressive deformities,
irrespective of the attitude in which these structures are working or resting.

 Under these conditions, the muscles will function most efficiently and the optimum
positions are afforded for the thoracic and abdominal organs.
 Musculoskeletal disorders

 Musculoskeletal Disorders or MSDs are

injuries and disorders that affect the human
body’s movement or musculoskeletal
system (i.e. muscles, tendons, ligaments,
nerves, discs, blood vessels, etc.)
 MSDs are the result of multiple risk
factors Not everyone with an MSD has
ergonomic exposures at work, and not
everyone exposed at work develops an
MSD. Contributing factors occur both at
work and at home.
 Musculoskeletal disorders

 Common Work-Related MSDs:- Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

• Affect the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, and tendons
• Symptoms
− Discomfort
− Burning
− Pain − Swelling
− Numbness − Tingling
− Loss of motion/flexibility − Inflammation
− Spasticity − Throbbing
− Stiff joints − Paralysis
 Most commonly affected areas:

 Back
 Arms, Elbows,
and Shoulders
 Neck
 Hands, Wrists, and Fingers
 Knees, Ankles,
and Feet
 Common MSD disorders:
 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
 Trigger Finger
 Tennis Elbow
 Back strain/disability
 Sciatica

 Herniated Discs
 Neck strain/disability
 Tendinitis
 Risk factors of MSD injuries:

 Dependent upon:  Examples of risk factors include:

 Work  Exerting excessive force
positions and postures
 How Lifting heavy objects
often task is performed
 Level Pushing or pulling heavy loads
of required effort and
duration of task Manual pouring materials
Maintaining control of equipment
or tools
 Performing same/similar tasks
repetitively
 Working in awkward postures or
same postures for long periods
Prolonged/repetitive reaching above shoulder height
Kneeling

Squatting

Leaning over a counter/bending

Using a knife with wrists bent
Twisting the torso while lifting
 Localized pressure into the body part
Pressing the body/part of the body against hard or sharp edges
Using the hand as a hammer
Carpal tunnel syndrome

 It is the median nerve compression at the level of

carpal tunnel
 It includes pain, numbness.
 Splint in neutral position should be worn for 6 weeks
 Tennis elbow

 Tennis elbow, is a painful condition of

the elbow caused by overuse
 Tennis elbow is an inflammation of
the tendons that join the forearm
muscles on the outside of the elbow.
The forearm muscles and tendons
become damaged from overuse —
repeating the same motions again and
again. This leads to pain and
tenderness on the outside of the elbow.
 Prevention
 Using kneeling pads. Use some type of padding to reduce the pressure on knees if the
job or hobby requires a lot of kneeling.
 Lifting properly. Bend knees when you lift. Failing to do so puts extra stress on the
bursae in hips.
 Wheeling heavy loads. Carrying heavy loads puts stress on the bursae in shoulders. Use a
dolly or a wheeled cart instead.
 Taking frequent breaks. Alternate repetitive tasks with rest or other activities.
 Maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight places more stress on joints.
 Exercising. Strengthening muscles can help protect affected joint.
 Warming up and stretching before strenuous activities to protect joints from injury.
SCIATICA
 Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic
nerve, which branches from the lower back through hips and
buttocks and down each leg.
 Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone
spur on the spine ,compression of nerve . This causes
inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.
 Occupation. A job that requires you to twist your back, carry
heavy loads or drive a motor vehicle for long periods might play
a role in sciatica.
 Prolonged sitting. People who sit for prolonged periods or have
a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop sciatica than
active people are.
 Prevention

 Exercise regularly. To keep back strong, pay special attention to the core muscles — the
muscles in abdomen and lower back that are essential for proper posture and alignment.
 Maintain proper posture when you sit. Choose a seat with good lower back support,
armrests and a swivel base. Consider placing a pillow or rolled towel in the small of back to
maintain its normal curve. Keep knees and hips level.
 Use good body mechanics. If there is standing for long periods, rest one foot on a stool or
small box from time to time. When lifting something heavy, let your lower extremities do
the work. Move straight up and down. Keep your back straight and bend only at the knees.
Hold the load close to the body. Avoid lifting and twisting simultaneously. Find a lifting
partner if the object is heavy or awkward.
 Herniated discs

 Most herniated disks occur in your lower back (lumbar spine), although they can also occur
in your neck (cervical spine). The most common signs and symptoms of a herniated disk
are:
 Arm or leg pain. If there is herniated disk is in lower back, person feel the most intense
pain in your buttocks, thigh and calf. It may also involve part of the foot. If herniated disk
is in the neck, the pain will typically be most intense in the shoulder and arm. This pain
may shoot into the arm or leg when cough, sneeze or move spine into certain positions.
 Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often experience numbness or
tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
 Weakness. Muscles served by the affected nerves tend to weaken. This may cause to
stumble, or impair ability to lift or hold items.
 Prevention

 Occupation. People with physically demanding jobs have a greater risk of back problems.
Repetitive lifting, pulling, pushing, bending sideways and twisting also may increase your
risk of a herniated disk.
 It can be prevented by:-
 Exercise. Strengthening the trunk muscles helps stabilize and support the spine.
 Maintain good posture. Good posture reduces the pressure on your spine and disks. Keep
your back straight and aligned, particularly when sitting for long periods. Lift heavy objects
properly, making your legs — not your back — do most of the work.
 Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts more pressure on the spine and disks,
making them more susceptible to herniation.
Stiff neck
 stiff neck is typically characterized by soreness and difficulty moving the neck, especially
when trying to turn the head to the side. It may also be accompanied by a headache, neck
pain, shoulder pain and/or arm pain.
 Common causes are:-Sleeping with the neck at an awkward position
 Falling or sudden impact that pushes the head to the side, such as sports injuries
 Turning the head side to side repeatedly during an activity, such as swimming the front
crawl stroke
 Slouching with poor posture while viewing the computer monitor or looking downward at
a mobile phone for prolonged periods (sometimes referred to as "text neck")
 Experiencing excessive stress or anxiety, which can lead to tension in the neck
 Holding the neck in an abnormal position for a long period, such as cradling a phone
between the neck and shoulder
Prevention

 Avoid activities that require prolonged periods of reaching over

your head, such as painting the ceiling. If you must do this kind of
work, take frequent breaks.
 apply ice packs to the painful area for 20-minute periods, three or
four times a day
 Rest
 Antibiotics
 Work area modification
 Rotator cuff tendonitis .
Tendinitis Tennis elbow
Golfer's elbow
 Jumper's knee
Tendinitis causes pain in the tissues surrounding a De Quervain's disease
joint, especially after the joint is used too much Achilles tendonitis
during play or work. In some cases, the joint may feel
weak, and the area may be red, swollen and warm to
the touch.
 Tendinitis is more common in people whose jobs
involve:
 Repetitive motions
 Awkward positions
 Frequent overhead reaching
 Vibration
 Forceful exertion
 Prevention

 Stretch. Take time after exercise to stretch in order to maximize the range of motion of
joints. This can help to minimize repetitive trauma on tight tissues. The best time to stretch
is after exercise, when your muscles are warmed up.
 Use proper workplace ergonomics. If possible, get an ergonomic assessment of
workspace and adjust chair, keyboard and desktop as recommended for height, arm
length and usual tasks. This will help protect all joints and tendons from excessive stress.
 Prepare your muscles to play. Strengthening muscles used in activity or sport can help
them better withstand stress and load.
 Trigger finger

 Trigger finger is a condition in which one of fingers gets stuck in a bent position
 Signs and symptoms of trigger finger may progress from mild to severe and include:
Finger stiffness, particularly in the morning
A popping or clicking sensation as you move your finger
Tenderness or a bump (nodule) in the palm at the base of the affected finger
Finger catching or locking in a bent position, which suddenly pops straight
Finger locked in a bent position, which you are unable to straighten
 RISK FACTORS
INCLUDE :Repeated
gripping. Occupations
and hobbies that involve
repetitive hand use and
prolonged gripping may
increase your risk of
trigger finger.
 Stiff back

 Heavy lifting, repetitive movements and sitting at a desk all day can take a toll on
back
 Force. Exerting too much force on your back — such as by lifting or moving heavy
objects — can cause injury.
 Repetition. Repeating certain movements, especially those that involve twisting or
rotating your spine, can injure your back.
 Inactivity. An inactive job or a desk job can contribute to back pain, especially if you
have poor posture or sit all day in a chair with inadequate back support.
 Preventing back pain at work

 One can take steps to avoid and prevent back pain and injuries at
work. For example:
 Pay attention to posture. .
 Lift properly.
 Modify repetitive tasks.
 Listen to your body. If sitting for a prolonged period, change
position often. Periodically walk around and gently stretch muscles to
relieve tension.
Ergonomic Control Methods

 Examples of engineering controls

 Work station design and setup
 Ergonomically designed tools
 Ergonomically designed equipment
 Load weight reduction
 Hazard Controls
1. REACHING ABOVE THE HEAD/SHOULDERS Keep items within close reach
- Elevate work areas
Working with the hands above head for more than
2 hours per day

Working with the elbows above Remove obstacles

shoulders for more than 2 hours per Utilize equipment to raise and
lower items or move items
day
closer to worker
 Hazard Controls

1. WORKING WITH THE NECK OR The desktop should be kept at eye

BACK BENT forward more than 30° for level
more than 2 hours per day

Squatting or kneeling for more than 2 hours Raise and/or tilt the work for better access
per day Use a stool for ground-level work
 Hazard
AWKWARD GRIPS Gripping 10 or more
pounds or force for 2 or more hours per day
Repetitive motion
Intense keying for more than 4 hours per day
Repeating same motion for more than two hours
per day with hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, or
neck
Controls
Design work layout to reduce hand-carrying
Reduce amount of items carried at one time
Use ergonomically designed tools/aids
Use job/task rotation
Arrange work to avoid unnecessary motions
Let power tools and machinery do the work
Spread repetitive work out during the day
Take stretch pauses
Rotate task with co-workers if possible
Change hands or motions frequently
 Hazard
LOCALIZED PRESSURE ON BODY PART
- Pressing the body/part of the body against
hard or sharp edges
Standing/kneeling for prolonged periods on
hard surfaces
Using tools with hard handle surfaces or
short handles
Controls
Use tools with longer handles
Use tools with padded grips
Alternate between bending, kneeling,
sitting,
and squatting; use sit/stand stools or tables

Using hands/knees as a hammer more than

10 times in 1 hour or more than 2 times per
day (long-term
 Hazard Controls
LIFTING OBJECTS – Use proper lifting techniques
Lifting more than
75 lbs. once/day
55 lbs. ten times/day
10 lbs. more than twice/minute or
for more than 2 hours/day
25 lbs. above shoulders, below knees,
or at arms length more than
25 times/day
Heavy, frequent, and awkward lifting

Lean the sack Slide the Slide the As you stand up,
onto your sack up sack onto the keep the sack close
kneeling leg. onto your other leg to your body.
kneeling while
leg. keeping the
sack close to
your body.
 HAZARDS CONTROLS

VIBRATION – • Use low-vibration tools and devices

• Moderate – more than 2 hours per day that may reduce vibration (tool
• High – more than 30 minutes per day balancers, extension handles,
vibration isolators, damping
techniques)
• Adequate rest periods
• Rotate jobs
• Maintenance
 THANKYOU
ANY QUESTIONS ?