It’s surprising that with all the health information we’re bombarded with, awareness for good back care often takes a back seat.
Postural neglect is common; for most of us, it’s an everyday occurrence. 4 out of 5 people don’t even realize they have bad posture until it’s too late.
Healthy Habits
In the absence of major or obvious trauma, many neck, shoulder and back pain sufferers report that their muscle pain develops for “no apparent reason.” They forget the consequences that long-term habits, sustained postures and repetitive movements play in predisposing a person to muscle and joint pain.
Lordosis
Lordosis refers to the natural curve, or hollow, in the low back that typically occurs when one stands but is lost when one sits. It is a healthy feature of the lumbar spine.
Slouched sitting posture (forward flexion) is the opposite of lordosis. The consensus of biomechanical and clinical research studies suggests that forward flexion in sitting has long-term detrimental effects, including progressive disc degeneration, increased pressure on the diaphragm making it more difficult to breathe and decreased oxygen and nutrition to the muscles and joints.1
During forward flexion in sitting:
- Discs discs along the front of the vertebrae
- Intra-disc pressure (jelly inside) increases asymmetrically
- Fluid (think jelly donut) is pushed out of the discs, drying up the disc and depriving it of nutrition so that is has limited capacity for repair and poor blood flow
- When the disc height decreases, it causes the spinal ligaments to loosen making the joints “unstable”
- The spine becomes weaker and more susceptible to injury.
- Increased fatigue, at the end of our day, decreases our energy levels and our motivation to work out which further de-conditions our muscles. (add to this 10x greater if you smoke which further reduces good blood flow to the system)
How can we avoid flexed postures while sitting?
- Ensure our chairs fit well and you are leaning back against the back rest
- Make sure to support both your upper AND lower back so you don’t just push the problem up the spine (think holding your coffee cup in the middle versus the bottom)
- Take frequent breaks to re-establish neutral position and get fresh blood flow
- Stretch throughout the day to keep muscles and joint hydrated
- Hydrate your body to flush toxins out of your system
- Set up your office or car so that you are not constantly “over-reaching” to function
Tips for Back Health:
Doctors, Physical therapists, chiropractors, ergonomists and clinical research recommend the regular use of a mid-back support to directly promote healthier spine and shoulder position. Educate yourself about how to manage and resolve current back, shoulder and neck pain as well as how to avoid these pains sticking around any longer than necessary.
Final Thoughts
With successful holistic alternatives available now, there are only a few good reasons to turn to pharmaceutical or surgical band-aids especially since research shows that only 50% of surgical or pharmaceutical interventions actually get rid of the underlying issue. If you have pain, go see your medical professional immediately to rule out anything serious. If you don’t have pain, now is the time to work on these things because it’s much easier to prevent pain than it is to treat it.
Last but certainly not least, keeping your spine strong also requires sufficient amounts of daily, balanced nutrition and hydration. So, stretch your legs, stretch your arms, get the blood flowing and, if you’re really motivated, reach out to us or sign up for our newsletter to get more information on postural re-education and how to address your home office set up as part of your body awareness. Contact us at hello@backbonecushion.com. We will help get you and your back on track!