POSTURE AND SEATING
| The position or posture of our spine is very important. In our every day lives, we do lots of activities which place great stress through our spines, from gardening, to playing cricket, driving, picking up the children, or indeed, simply working at the computer. In general our bodies are well designed to cope with these stresses, providing that we maintain good posture. |
 |
ANATOMYJust as foundations of a house need to be strong, we too need a good stable posture to prevent injury. We have 33 bones (vertebrae) in our spines, which are stacked in a unique way. Each bone is connected to each other by joints and discs. In this way the spine has great flexibility and mobility. When we look at the spine from the side it should have gentle S-shaped curves. In this position the line of gravity falls equally through the spine and the forces are distributed equally through each vertebrae and disc. Therefore, when properly balanced, the curves keep our bodies balanced. They also support us when we move. In this way injuries are less likely. The role of our muscles is to support the curves of the spine. They support each vertebrae and disc and help to maintain good alignment and posture. If we allow ourselves to slump we can cause some muscles to overwork. This can lead to strain. |
|
POSTURAL STRAIN |
|
| Quite often poor posture develops over a period time and is the result of bad habits. Persistent slouching will place undue strain on the neck and lower back. It can put too much pressure on the discs and vertebrae. As a result, the muscles may tighten or spasm in order to protect the spine from further injury. At the Horsforth Physiotherapy Clinic we can provide a thorough assessment of your injury and formulate a treatment plan according to your needs. | |
SOME BASIC TIPS FOR GOOD POSTUREWhen working on the computer… Try to sit correctly at all times. Ensure that the chair has been correctly adjusted to support you. Try to maintain contact of your spine against the chair, therefore it may be necessary to make slight adjustments according to task variation. It is also important to consider the height of the screen and desk, the reaching distance to the phone etc. All of these factors may affect your posture. It is important to regularly interrupt prolonged static positions of the spine. Try to move about frequently and try to maintain a good posture at all times. Here at the Horsforth Physiotherapy Clinic we can advise you on your individual seating and workstation needs When driving…..Many of us drive long distances and we often do not realise that we slouch in the car seat. At the Horsforth Physiotherapy Clinic we can advise you on the adjustment of your car seat, mirrors etc for best posture. LONG TERM EFFECTS OF PROLONGED POOR POSTUREIf we consistently position our spines in an abnormal position we are at risk of developing low back pain, tightness at the tops of our shoulders and potentially neck pain and headaches. At the Horsforth Physiotherapy Clinic we can provide you with a thorough assessment and formulate an individual treatment plan according to your needs. |
|
HOW SHOULD WE SIT? |
|
| The key to a good sitting position is to sit with the
spine lengthened at all times. Ideally we should sit with the pelvis angled slightly forwards, therefore giving us a gentle curve inwards in the small of our back. The level of our knees should be slightly lower than the level of our hips. Therefore we may need to adjust the tilt on the seat. Our neck should be long and slightly tucked in, not poking forward beyond the level of the shoulders. Our shoulders should not be rounded, they should be in line with the neck in a good position.
|
 |
|
Additionally…. At the Horsforth Physiotherapy Clinic we can advise you on the optimal task variation, breaks and microbreaks. In this way we do not fatigue as quickly, thereby maintaining a better spinal position for longer and helping to either prevent injury or accelerate the recovery time from such an injury.
There are many other causes of back and neck pain and a detailed examination by the Chartered Physiotherapist is needed to identify exactly which structures of the body are involved.
|
|
DISCLAIMER
None of this information will substitute for a consultation with a physiotherapist regarding your problem. Nor is it intended to replace diagnosis or treatment of any kind. You will need to contact your physiotherapist or medical adviser regarding a diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment for your problem.
