Here’s a great post from my friend Thea Walter, a physio and Pilates teacher in Sydney, about back pain and sitting.

You can get my free report, “The 5 Best Tips To Avoid The Misery Of Back Pain While Sitting”, by entering your 1st name and email address on this page.

Here’s Thea…

Whenever you think of Australia, you probably think of sunny days, bronzed muscle bound bodies swimming and running along golden sands and beautiful beaches. Unfortunately that is not true of all the population.

The recent Baler report states that Australia is the fattest nation in the world with over 9 million (population 21 million) people now overweight or obese!

Not only are Aussies overweight, but 67% of Australians suffer from back pain at least once per week and accept it as part of life according to the Chiropractic Association of Australia.

Why?

Australia has a mild climate, outdoor access, abundance of recreational facilities …why are so many people overweight and suffering from back pain?

In spite of all the advantages of the Australian lifestyle, the average Australian spends 9 hours of their waking time in sedentary behaviour, primarily sitting. At work, 90% of people use computers and 75% of those that use computers complain of back pain.

Australia and the USA along with other western nations are similar in they both have an epidemic of back pain issues related to our sedentary lifestyle.

Think about how often you sit during a typical day:

When you meet someone for dinner

When you watch TV, or a movie

When you catch up for a drink with friends

When you’re work

When you’re driving

So what happens to your back when you sit?

• The normal curves of the spine change so that the lower back is flattened out rather than lordotic (arched). The mid back (thoracic) is more rounded than normal and the neck position reverses so the chin protrudes.

• The pressure on the inter-vertebral disc (the spongy part between the bones) increases and dehydrates due to reduced fluid flow and disc creep. Movement is necessary to maintain disc hydration.

• Major muscle groups are inactive for long periods which cause muscle weakness and instability of your joints. This leads to biomechanical imbalances and inefficiency. Spinal muscles may be over active.

• Higher risk of osteoporosis increases over time as there is no weight bearing or resistance for the non weight bearing bones

• Gradually, there is degeneration of the vertebral end plates and facet joints which is where the bone articulates with other spinal bones and creates movement.

• Ligaments along the front of the spine become lax, creating spinal instability.

Prolonged sitting creates a lot of wear and tear on the back and its structures. However, there is no way you can avoid sitting, it is a fact of life.

So what can you do right now to reduce back pain in sitting?

• Try to maintain normal curves of the spine when you sit. In standing, the spine is not perfectly upright. It has curves which help distribute weight over more supportive areas of the spine. The best way to maintain the natural curves of the spine is to sit with your weight directly over your sit bones (ischial tuberosity). These are the bony lumps you feel at either side of your buttock when you sit down.

• Ideally have a chair where the seat tilts forward that can help maintain the natural spinal curve of the low back (lumbar spine area).

• Move often and stand and walk around every 20 to 30 minutes to increase flow of fluid to the discs and generate muscle activity.

• Whenever possible, work in a standing position. For example, a standing work station.

• If you can not avoid sitting, it would help to have a chair that assists in maintaining your natural curves. For example a kneeling chair, saddle seat or an ergonomic chair. Your physical therapist can advise what the best solution is for you.

Back pain associated with sitting can be relieved. Fortunately our brain is a quick learner and adapts to new information easily. This is called brain neuroplasticity.

The brain changes with learning, memory and experience. You have a lifelong ability to change and adapt according to stimulus. Therefore stimulus such as exercise, nurturance and education can be applied to improve back pain and posture. You can re-educate your movement patterns, your knowledge and your habits so that you become pain free.

It is possible to be pain free and with a structured approach, usually through a health professional, you can maintain a healthy spine, be pain free and function at a normal level in physical activities.

In conclusion, you can reduce your back pain by keeping active, maintaining lifestyle changes and education about posture and getting professional advice for a program that is individually tailored to your needs.

Thea Walter

If you missed it, here’s that link again for your free report.

Filed under: back pain while sitting by lindyroyer
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