Which distortion indicates that a patient is attempting to avoid weight-bearing on the dysfunctional side?

• A. A-P sway
• B. Lateral sway
• C. Antalgia
• D. Flattened posture

Answer: (B)

The correct choice reflects a situation where the patient exhibits a lateral sway, indicating an attempt to avoid weight-bearing on the dysfunctional side of their body. This means that when assessing the patient's posture, one would notice a noticeable lean or shift away from the side that is experiencing pain or dysfunction. This compensatory mechanism is instinctive as the individual subconsciously tries to relieve pressure and discomfort, thus minimizing the load on the affected area.

In contrast, other postural distortions such as anterior-posterior sway, antalgia, or a flattened posture describe different compensatory mechanisms and do not specifically indicate a lateral shift to avoid bearing weight on one side. Anterior-posterior sway involves movement forward and backward, antalgia refers to a forward bending posture typically seen in acute pain situations, and a flattened posture does not imply a lateral compensation but rather a loss of the normal curvature of the spine. Each of these options may relate to pain or dysfunction but do not specifically match the description of avoiding weight-bearing on one side.