Bad Posture As A Cause Of Chronic Back Pain And Measures To Correct

Beginning today we would also cover preventive aspects of musculoskeletal problems. This is first article in the categoty

Habitual poor posture or bad posture lead chronic aches and pains. If this goes uncorrected for a length of time, it perpetuates into a chronic pain syndrome.

Many backpain, neckpain, headache result from a bad or poor posture. Sometimes what may happen is that we adopt a posture to keep the pain away but continued bad posture results in other kinds of pains.h

Over a course of time uncorrected and habitual poor posture causes structural changes in the joints and wear and tear.

Common Bad Posture

1. Prolonged bending at work
2. Sleeping on too soft or too hard surface
3. Prolonged sitting in poor position (slouching)
4. Incorrect lifting of heavy weights
5. Badly adjusted desk height or computer screen level.

Corrective measures

At Home

• Avoid standing with a bent back
• Working places should be to the height of waist, so that it will be comfortable.
• Lift weight or children by bending your knee and keeping your spine straight. Don’t lift weight and twist your spine. Avoid carrying weights above your shoulder. When lifting weight, keep feet apart, lift the object close to your body and lift with your thighs.
• Don’t lift heavy load of weight at a single attempt. If necessary divide the load into smaller units.
• Always prefer to pull or push the heavy article, rather than try lifting it.
• Avoid prolonged forward bending for cleaning/ washing.
• Regular exercises strengthen the muscles of back, increases flexibility and improve posture.
• Keep your weight under control.
• Use a firm and thin mattress. Too soft or too hard surfaces worsen the pain symptoms. Sleep on your back with a pillow under the knee. You can sleep to one side with your legs bent. This will support your back. The bed height should be appropriate to easily get in and get out.

Travelling

While driving your vehicle the following precautions should be taken. Avoid driving on bad roads especially on two wheelers. The jerks raise the intradiscal pressures very high. Here are some tips

• Avoid long journeys at a stretch, take regular breaks in between.
• Support the back with a small cushion
• The seat should be adjusted so that the hips and knee are slightly bent. Te arms should be relaxed and bent at 90 degrees angle to the steering well.

Office

A good or well-planned office goes a long way in maintaining the employee’s physical health and spirit of working.

• The office chair should be of the height wherein the feet can touch the floor comfortably.
• Small cushion to support the back. Sit up straight in the chair.
• Do not sit in sitting position for hours together at a stretch. Take break after every 30 to 45 minutes. Relax and stretch your muscles during break.
• Don’t ever overbend the head; it will put stress on your neck muscles. The head is a heavy structure.
• While working, now and then spread your fingers and toes, which will relax your muscles. Otherwise, prolonged work will lead to muscle fatigue.
• Do not do same type of work hours together. Take break to do different work in between.
• Adjust your computer screen position so that tip of your nose is reflected centrally on the screen when correctly seated. Te computer and the keyboard should be at arm length. Te screen should be at 90 degree to the strong light source, especially daylight. Alter the screen angle to avoid glare and reflections. If possible, use a copy holder to keep your input data within your natural field of view.
• The desk should be on level with elbows when the forearms are parallel to te floor. If the desk is too low, raise it with raisers, if too high then use a footrest and raise your seat height accordingly.
• Don’t stare at computer continuously; look at a scenery or painting in between. This is to prevent the eye muscles fatigue.

Day to day activities

Certain good postures should become habits in day to day like.

1. Wear a comfortable, low heeled footwear.
2. Stand erect with your abdomen and buttocks tucked in.
3. Keep the body weight under control.
4. Make some light physical activity such as walking a regular habit.

These good postures obviate the need for a visit to a pain clinician. For people who have already developed chronic pain syndromes, this becomes a way to come out of situation.

Related posts:

1. Conditioning Exercises For Back Pain Relief
2. The Problem of Back Pain-Extent and Risk Factors
3. List of Causes Of Back Pain
4. Coccygodynia or Coccydynia or Tail Bone Pain- Causes and Treatment
5. A Short Guide To Physical Exercises For Spine

Tags: computer screen position, day to day activities, neckpain, postural backpain, postural habits, posture, travelling