People who find it hard to move are most at risk of developing body shape distortions. This is because they often sit and lie in limited positions.
Postural care is about using the right equipment and positioning techniques to help protect and restore body shape.
The earlier the intervention, the better - but it's never too late to start protecting someone's body shape.
Why is postural care important?
Failure to protect body shape can have serious consequences for a person's health. It can even cause premature death.
What do we want?
We want:
- to challenge the assumption that distortion of body shape is inevitable for people with learning disabilities
- all people with multiple disabilities to get the support they need to protect their shape, 24 hours a day.
What you can do
Everyone who supports someone with multiple disabilities, or commissions services for them, needs to know about postural care.
You can help spread the word. The following materials can help you with this and to learn more:
- Postural care PDF booklet
- Postural care PDF presentation
- Watch postural care videos on our YouTube channel
- Public Health England guidance on postural care and people with learning disabilities.
You can order copies of the booklet by emailing publications@mencap.org.uk or phoning 020 7696 6900.
The booklet was developed by The Postural Care Action Group; a group of organisations and individual working to raise awareness about the importance of protecting body shape:
Organisations
- The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
- The College of Occupational Therapists (COT)
- Inclusion North
- Mencap
- PAMIS
- Partners in Policymaking
- Postural Care Skills
- Potential Futures
- The Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
- Simple Stuff Works
- University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)
Individuals
- Janet Cobb - parent, and learning disability physiotherapist
- John and Liz Goldsmith
- Bas Jansen - physiotherapist
- Mike and Julie Ormian - family carers
- Rebecca Ormian - PMLD champion