What is Mindfulness?
Self-awareness of how to use our bodies safely is now known as mindfulness. In other words, it is the state of being conscious or aware of body movement in the moment.
As a physical therapist, I teach “body mechanics,” or how to use the body efficiently to prevent injury. I practice these body mechanics myself in order to prevent injury and stay healthy. I think of them all in terms of mindfulness.
My Mindfulness List
- Using proper posture while helping someone to stand from a chair, move in bed, or while bending down to work on someone’s feet.
- Sitting properly while using my hands to work on patients without hurting my back.
- Keeping the joints of my fingers and wrists in the best alignment while working on patients, so as not to cause degeneration or injury.
- Standing and using my arms and body in a way that decreases possible injury as I’m lifting a body part (such as a leg) to assess for joint range of motion or knee ligament injury.
- Practicing self-awareness of my limitations when helping a patient and, if necessary, asking a colleague to help.
This mindfulness component of physical therapy will not only help me stay healthy as a practitioner, but it also provides the groundwork to teach these same mindful movement techniques to my patients.
In my eBook on mindful tips for daily pain-free movement, I share some important tips on how you too can be mindful as you move through life, so you can protect your body and maintain your health.
An eBook Preview
- Tips for engaging your core
- How to achieve good posture while sitting and standing
- How to maximize sleep
- Tips for lifting and caring for pets
- Mindful walking
Check it out, and let me know what you think in the comments. By being more mindful, we can ease pain, stop injuries in their tracks, and have more well-being.
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