Good Posture, Back Pain and your Chiropractor
25 January 2008
This is 2008 right, so just how can people still claim days off work for back pain? Well, despite excellent testing and diagnostic procedures, doctors admit that 80% of chronic back pain cases are baffling. Contrary to popular belief, many people with either bulging or herniated discs in x-rays deny any pain. Its thought that up to 90% of us will have intense back pain at some point in our lives and it is hard to predict which of us are at risk for developing a bad back.
Of the options Doctor’s have available to them to help predict who might suffer from back strain; strength, fitness, or back x-ray, none has been completely successful. One major study recently concluded that the only predictors were 1) prior back pain, and 2) smoking habits.
Realistically we can all guess that jobs with frequent and/or heavy lifting are high risk, but less obvious, also in that risk category are those in employment involving prolonged standing and those employed in a job that has prolonged sitting requirements, think people employed in hair salons or anyone who uses the computer at work.
People whose jobs do involve heavy lifting might reduce the risk of injury by lifting with the legs to ease back strain, however that is hard on both the muscles and legs. Despite the leg problems this seems to be the best solution as the danger of using your back for lifting will put that strain on the disks. Not bending at the knees to lift is so tempting as it often will seem to be the less tiring option, but try to resist the urge to lift using that back .
Sadly it doesn’t seem as if the recent trend of wearing a back braces or belts have enabled the wearer to increase back strength or prevent back problems. Back braces can serve as a reminder to employ “careful” lifting, but they can also provide a sense of greater strength and thereby the user might try to lift heavier items than they should. If heavy lifting is an every day requirement, exercising using strength training can be the best deterrent to an injured back.
Its not just people who lift that should worry, those of us who sit for long periods at a time, pecking away at our computers are also at risk for those pesky back disorders. Two of the biggest issues can be: A. Sitting upright or too far forward, and B. Not moving enough or changing positions. If this is you, ditch the straight back with 90° hip position, you may be straining you intervertebral discs. For many reasons, this position causes the discs to experience more pressure, than if you were standing. Try to sit with those hip joints somewhat straightened, sure it will look like you are slouching with your derriere on the front of the seat, but this may be more beneficial in the long term. Forward-tilt chairs support this posture, as do chairs with level seats and reclined backrests. Reclined sitting has a tendency to shift your weight onto the seats backrest, this in turn means the lower back discs hold up less weight; you can also buy a chair with good, moveable, arm-rests to help defer some of the body weight off your back. Sitting this way allows the back muscles to relax.
Don’t forget as part of the regime for better back health and to fight overall body fatigue, you should allow yourself to get up at regular intervals and move around, stretch, and take a break, your body will thank you for it.
What to look for in a comfortable office chair:
Lumbar support: Every person is shaped differently so try using a cushion or rolled towel here for extra support. Sometimes I use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel, it provides warmth and a little give for extra comfort.
Seat depth: You should be able to use the backrest without any pressure behind the knees, again the cushion can move your whole body forward slightly to enable a more comfortable position.
Height of your seat: Feet should be able to rest flat on the floor or a footrest/stool can be used. (However, legs should be free to stay in different positions). Desk height, keyboard height and seat height all play a part in keeping you comfortable, take a little extra time to position yourself correctly before you begin for the day, it will go a long way to reducing the strain and discomfort you feel after sitting for a long period of time.
Chair adjustments and posture are relative to the area you are working in. Your eyes can affect your posture, check to see if your documents set too far away, too low, or even too high? Do you over extend your hands? This can all really affect body position, particularly in the area of the upper back and neck. Changing your upward viewing angles can help your shoulder, upper back and neck pain. Setting your monitor above eye height, reaching too far, looking on an angle, or needing to lean, twist, or overreach for paperwork or your mouse can be very detrimental to your physiology. Take a look at the latest, larger screen monitors, with their extra viewable area and flat panels they can often be better positioned on your desk for more comfortable viewing. In addition, a document holder can prove an invaluable resource when looking from more than one reference material to another.
Just remember, for those of us with existing, chronic or just plain difficult, back pain: these are all just ideas to help you sit and work more comfortably, what feels more comfortable for me, may really exasperate your sciatic nerve or disc problem. Experiment until you feel most comfortable. The goal is to look for ways to prevent back pain before you need to start seeking solutions for nagging or chronic pain. Look for ergonomic chairs, keyboards and other pain reducing office tools to help make your workspace a nicer place to be.
The above mentioned may be inappropriate for you as an individual, especially if you are a sufferer of severe back pain. Check your discomfort level, be smart and stop to switch positions if you feel yourself over reaching, looking around, or even just dangling your feet, trust me - your back will thank you for it.
For more solutions to back pain and discomfort at work, discuss with your chiropractor ways to improve your posture. This could be through periodic adjustments, along with a stretching regime and exercises designed specifically to work the back muscles. Lastly, ask Dr. Paul and Dr. Susan their opinion on ergonomic office furniture they would recommend.
Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at (303) 674 1500 to schedule a consultation or email office@fontanachiro.com
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