Poor posture and back pain

An article in Spine Health by Vijay Vad, MD, a sports medicine physician, states that "unsupported postures cause the loads on your spine to disperse incorrectly, weakening the tissues in your lower back. As a result, the intricate network of muscles, discs, and joints in your back tend to be pushed beyond their tolerable limit, causing pain." Likewise, a sudden injury from lifting a heavy object incorrectly or in bad alignment can cause immediate back pain and dysfunction.

When you have poor posture, several areas of stress may develop within your muscle tissue, spinal joints (lumbar facets), and discs. These stresses may be relieved once the offending posture is corrected or may continue to accumulate, slowly weakening the affected structure, for example:

• Prolonged hunching while standing or sitting can cause your back, core, and abdominal muscles to become strained and painful, reducing their blood supply, and slowly developing stiffness and weakness in the trunk and lower back.
• An unsupported sitting position places a small forward bend on the spine. Over time, this forward bend may place a load on the lower spinal discs, causing herniation.
• An incorrect lifting technique can cause a lumbar disc to herniate, causing pain in the lower back and/or radiating pain into your leg through a nearby spinal nerve.
• Working on a laptop or reading while lying on your belly can cause your lower back and hip to extend (bend backward) excessively, altering the dynamics of the lower spinal curve.

Changing from a habitual incorrect posture may take time and mindful awareness.

Here are a few tips on how to maintain good posture while walking, sitting, and lifting...

Walk tall.

While walking, it is important to look straight ahead and to keep your head balanced above your spine. Keep your spine straight and relax your shoulders. Make sure to land on your heel and then gently roll forward to push off the front of your foot. With each step, a gentle spinal rotation must be achieved by reaching the opposite arm forward.

Sit with support and get up every hour.

While sitting and working on an office chair, keep your back flush against your chair, your head over your spine, your shoulders rolled back, and shoulder blades down. Bend your arms at a 75 to 90-degree angle at the elbows. Your legs should be hip distance apart with both feet flat on the floor. If you are unable to reach the floor, use a footrest.

Place a small pillow or rolled-up towel to support your lower back and maintain the lumbar curve. Aim to get up every hour and walk a short distance to relieve pressure from your spine.

Lift carefully.

To lift a heavy object from the floor, squat down in front of the object by keeping a straight back and bending your knees. Hold the object close to your chest while you straighten your knees to stand up.

To lift lighter objects, take support from a table or a counter with one hand, bend down at your hip (keeping a straight back), and raise one leg backward for counterbalance. Use the other hand to lift the object. This technique is called the golfer’s lift and is especially useful for repetitive lifting activities.