Treatment 4 - Applying Movement & Reinforcing Postural Habits

Session Goal: Build on education from Day 1 by integrating correct posture and movement into functional activities. Reinforce how body awareness and proper mechanics enhance recovery.

1. Review
   Ask Patients:

   • “What posture corrections did you implement last week?”

   • “Were there activities that caused flare-ups?”

     Use responses to guide today’s focus.

     Reinforce: You should feel decreased pain with improvements in postural alignment and movement awareness.
     

2. Apply Body Mechanics in Functional Tasks
     Practice real-life movements:

   • Lifting a bag or gear (use hips, not spine). “Hip hinge”

   • Transitioning from sit to stand. Engage core, use larger muscles

   • Standing for prolonged periods (shift weight side-to-side or use a step stool)

   • Encourage core bracing before movement.

   • Teach micro-adjustments: small corrections prevent fatigue.

     • Suggested Demonstration

       • Perform light object lifting drill: patient bends at hips with neutral spine.

       • Exhale during exertion and keep weight close.

     • Suggested Therapist Script

       Your core is your stabilizer—tighten gently before you move, not after pain starts.
       

3. Integrate Posture into Daily Activity

   • Posture is a habit, not a single position.

   • Encourage brief “reset” breaks: roll shoulders, stand tall, take deep breaths.

   • Reposition every 30–45 minutes during sitting or standing tasks (set alerts on computer or phone as a reminder).

   • Encourage stretching, mobility or walking during duty downtime.
     

4. Link Massage to Functional Gains
   Massage therapy helps:

   • Release tension from poor posture patterns.

   • Improve flexibility for better spinal alignment.

   • Enhance proprioception—patients feel posture changes more easily.

   • Improves blood flow and oxygen to muscles.

     Encourage consistent sessions alongside ergonomic awareness.

     • Suggested Therapist Script
       “Massage frees up the tissues that limit proper movement, but your posture and body mechanics are what keep those gains lasting.”

     • Suggested Closing Script
       “Every time you lift, sit, or stand with awareness, you train your spine to stay supported. This is how you find long term success.”