Back Pain? Try Changing Your Posture

Posted by Yakuti in Archives | | 0 comments

Bad posture, those in the know say, is simply a bad habit, something like biting nails or picking the nose. Different ailments, from fatigue, neck, back and jaw pain, numbness and tingling can all be caused by bad posture. Many of today’s professions involve sitting at desks for long periods of time. Many people slouch or slump into chairs and remain that way for the entire work day, with brief breaks in between.

Good posture is not simply standing or sitting straight. On the contrary, the spine is naturally curved in an “S” shape, and good posture simply means maintaining this shape during all activities.

If you’ve been having pain and your doctor says posture is the problem, here are some things you can try to do to change that:

Standing:

Let your ears, shoulders and hips be in a straight line. It feels very strange, but you get used to it after some time. The spine will curve itself into its natural shape when these three body parts are aligned.

Do not keep your feet tightly together or at right angles to each other. Your knees should also not touch. Spread them out slightly, with a distance about the width of your shoulders between them. That way, your weight is on the heel of your foot, not the front.

Let your arms hang down the side of your body and do not push your head forward or try to hold it back.

When standing for a long time, shift from time to time. Rock yourself from side to side, or do a heel-to-toe dance every few minutes. This can also help you stand comfortably for longer periods of time, because it gives you a break.

Sitting:

For long term sitting periods, ensure that your chair offers proper back support, and that it fits your body. There is no one-size-fits-all chair. If you can get a chair that is customized to fit you, then by all means, try to do that. Your arms should be at a 75 degree angle when you sit at a desk. Let your feet be flat on the floor.

When on a long flight, do exercises. Lift your knees towards your chest and then extend them out. “Rotate” your feet.  Lift each foot slightly, and then lower it and lift the other. Many airlines have notes of these exercises available on their flights.

When driving, keep the seat at a distance that will prevent you from slouching into the chair or leaning forward to reach the steering wheel, pedals and gears.

Kneeling: If it gets too tiring or you have to pray for lengthy periods of time, use cushions to support your knees.

Walking:

Do not let your head guide you; some people turn corners head-first, so to speak. Don’t let your head hang to the side, or push it forward. Don’t slouch, either – this is especially for tall ladies.

Do not carry heavy bags on just one side of your body all the time. Switch sides;  this will also serve as a form of exercise. Better yet, when using backpacks, use both straps – to many of us it looks childish, but it is for our good.

Sleeping:

Thankfully, we have more liberty here. The only tip I can give is use a good mattress for proper back support. Bad mattresses can cause back pain and even headaches throughout the day. And some of those pillows! Extremely hard pillows and extremely soft pillows are not good. A good pillow snaps or bounces back sturdily when you fold it in two.

General:

Stretch! It’s good for your muscles.

Praise! Lift up your hands. It’s good for you.

Benefits of Good Posture:

Breathing! If you are a singer, you will appreciate this. Deeper breaths generally mean more control over the voice, the notes, and the verses.

Confidence! Slouching, folding arms, etc are generally taken to mean that a person is nervous. Good posture will help you to communicate without having to worry about a person doubting your credibility or confidence. This is great no matter how you look at it – business, evangelism, making friends, etc.

Concentration! If you kneel or stand for long periods of time during prayer, bad posture can make you dread prayer times. If you find yourself getting tired, vary your posture. Walk around, kneel, stand, lift your hands – remember that God is your friend.

Check out these similar posts:

1. See Pain Differently
2. Embracing Pain