BIOMECHANICS ?
In your mind, does the word Biomechanics conjure up mad scientists hard at work in the Frankenstein lab? Or maybe humanoid figures covered with grease clinking away under the hood of your car? Neither idea is descriptive of this term, but biomechanics is an expression we are not familiar or comfortable with as a society. Yet, it is an intimate subject of which personal comfort is the ultimate goal.

Want an easy way to think about biomechanics? It entails Posture -- posture in static positions (like standing) and posture in moving positions. Let us break the word down for definition. ‘Bio’ means ‘living’ and refers to the body; ‘mechanics’ is the science of mechanical forces and motion. Surely it is more ‘user-friendly’ when we replace the description of biomechanics with the word ‘postures.’

Many people equate posture simply with how you stand. They may reflect on some TV scene in which an army boot camp drill sergeant teaches new recruits to keep their chests out, stomachs in and shoulders back. However, biomechanical aspects of our body affect us every minute of the day or night and not just through memories of being told ‘stand up straight.’ Whether we are sleeping, eating, standing, walking, lifting, sitting or anything else you care to imagine, biomechanics are playing a major role. Unless you have discovered the secret to out-of-body experiences (I will let you be the judge of that), the way your body moves, or does not move, effects your health. And even if you have discovered the secrets of out-of-body experience you still function within your body in Ivory-Soap Time (meaning 99 44/100 % of the time).

Biomechanics, our moving and static postures, are therefore extremely important to our health and overall well being. Good biomechanics prevent pain and body dysfunction as well as maintaining flexibility and adding quality years to our lifetime.

There are self-esteem issues at play as well. I am sure you have found yourself admiring the “self-confidence” of someone demonstrating good biomechanics (posture). You do not even know for sure that they feel self-confident, but their carriage and gait suggest it nevertheless and win your quiet approval or respect. Conversely, you have seen a friend slumping toward you and have immediately known ‘depression’ was the modus operandi. Our bodies have a great deal to say regarding our psychological makeup. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I would rather create a different illusion or impression of myself than wear my psychological profile on my sleeve, like a neon sign. I would like to look as if I feel differently. In addition, the positive reaction of others toward your confident ‘presentation’ boosts your self-esteem. It also increases the chances that the powerful image you would like to emit is in harmony with the way you feel inside. In other words, because you act that way, you start to feel that way. The old ‘act as if’ adage.

[end of preview excerpt]