With the start of autumn comes the parade of television shows to keep is glued to the television until Christmas. For many there is nothing better than curling up on the settee for hours but for others sitting for prolonged periods especially on soft cushions can be a recipe for back pain.
Fortunately there are ways of avoiding back pain when sitting:
- Take breaks- make the most of the advert breaks to get yourself up and moving around and try to ensure that you spend no more than 30-45 minutes sitting at any time.
- Change your sitting position- studies suggest that rather than sitting with perfect posture, the best thing for low backs is changing your posture every 15-20 minutes. This limits the strain being put on one individual muscle groups and helps to spread the load.
- Cheat. Rather than relying on your lumbar musculature to hold you upright try using a small cushion, bolster or a rolled up towel to prevent excessive slouching. Place the support in the small of your back to help support your back in a neutral position.
These tips are designed to help those who struggle with low back pain. Sitting for prolonged periods can increase the amount of strain the structures of you low back encounter by a factor of ten compared to standing. So it’s obvious to see why its such a common cause of back pain. Due to the fact that more of us sit whilst at work all day, back pain which is worsened by sitting is become a very common sight in chiropractic practise. Fortunately, using a combination of manual therapy, exercises and advice, you needn’t suffer.
If you experience low back when sitting for prolonged periods, and would like further information or help, please call us to discuss it on 01425 474046.