Daily Living Skills
Good body control is the efficient use of the body in any way it is called upon to move:
1. Posture in Standing – all body segments aligned on top of the other in a straight line.
a. Head – erect, eyes front, chin in and up
b. Shoulder – back relaxed, shoulder blades flat
c. Should be up and raised
d. Abdomen – should be flattened
e. Buttocks – tucked in but relaxed
f. Knees – should be relaxed and easy
g. Feet – toes pointed ahead, weight evenly distributed on walls of feet and heels.
2. Posture in Walking – toes straight ahead, step straight forward with abdomen contracted, chest high, chin in, arms relaxed at sides, body weight placed over ball of feet as it comes to floor, legs swing from hips.
Common Faults of Walking
a. Toeing-in
b. Toeing-out
c. Feet too far apart
d. Abdomen leading
e. Hips dragging behind
f. Too wide steps or too short
g. Pounding floor
h. Leaning forward and pushing floor away in rear
3. Posture While Sitting
Chair should support the body segments. That is the thighs should rest entirely on chair with feet on floor and upper back of chair.
Mechanics:
Sit tall, pull abdomen in, sit on buttocks not end of spine, sit far back in chair, relax, kept feet and knees together in any position.
4. Posture When Lying Down
Have a good mattress so body is level, a hard bed is good for posture, pillow should be flattened, so that it does not push neck out of the line thus loading to forward ahead.
5. Posture While Running
Incline body slightly forward, bend arms at elbow close to sides, first slightly closed, chest leading, move hands forward not across body, relax knees and land on balls of feet, emphasize form before speed, swing hands opposite feet.