That desk job could put you on your back
Nov 07, 2010
PROLONGED sitting and poor posture limit the supply of blood to these inter-vertebral discs, and over time, their tissue gets damaged, leading to back pain. “Like any other body part gets damaged due to limited blood supply, the<br>tissues in the inter-vertebral discs also get damaged and start d
Does your job require you to sit at a desk for hours on end?Vicky Wandawa reveals why you need to take frequent breaks to relax and stretch your body, and the correct sitting posture that prevents back problems
PROLONGED sitting and poor posture limit the supply of blood to these inter-vertebral discs, and over time, their tissue gets damaged, leading to back pain. “Like any other body part gets damaged due to limited blood supply, the
tissues in the inter-vertebral discs also get damaged and start dying,†Sammy Lubyayi, an orthopaedic surgeon at
Richmond Medical Centre in Kansanga, says.
A person’s spine is in the S-shape. Sitting turns it into a C-shape. Lubyayi says when one sits, particularly in a bad posture, the spine’s tissue are overstretched and tightened, making the back prone to pain and injury.
Back pain is the commonest symptom of poor posture and sitting for long. Tito Beyeza, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and head of the orthopaedics department at Mulago Hospital, says slouching holds the muscles in a longer than normal position, weakening them.
It also rounds the spine, slowly degenerating the discs and pushing them outward, resulting in pain. The recommended posture
Shiraz says instead of sitting forward in a chair, move your hips all the way to the back of the chair, move the seat in and closer to the desk so that you can sit up.
Place the monitor up on a book, block or shelf, so that you do not have to bend when looking at the screen. The screen should be at the same level with your eyes. Alternatively, have can adjust your chair so that your eyes are at the same level with the screen.
Rest your wrist on the desk. And your feet should be flat on the floor. Nonetheless, no matter how well you sit, you still bend at the hip and spend time off your feet. Therefore, muscles at the front of the hip eventually shorten, leading to an achy hip and back pain.
If you feel back pain when seated, change posture. The pain should go the moment you sit up In case the pain persists, a disease or medication could be causing the pain. Seek medical attention.
How to reduce pressure on the back
People whose work requires them to sit for long hours should get up occasionally to do an activity or take a walk. Shiraz advises that for those whose backs have already been affected, every 30 to 45 minutes, one should get up from their chairs and take a walk.
“Do not have food served to you at your workstation. Pick the food yourself, or walk to the kitchen and prepare a cup of tea,†Shiraz says. If you have to communicate with a colleague, instead of sending an email, walk up to them and
convey the message.
You can also stretch your muscles as you are seated, or you can stand and straighten out. Treatment “We advise patients on the ideal sitting position and because back problems are not like infections which would require antibiotics, we give only pain killers.
In case the situation is acute, advise physiotherapy treatment, which includes particular exercises,†Shiraz says. Shiraz says everyday, about 60% of the patients he receives are workers suffering from back problems. This mainly results from sitting for hours on end and bad sitting posture.
PROLONGED sitting and poor posture limit the supply of blood to these inter-vertebral discs, and over time, their tissue gets damaged, leading to back pain. “Like any other body part gets damaged due to limited blood supply, the
tissues in the inter-vertebral discs also get damaged and start dying,†Sammy Lubyayi, an orthopaedic surgeon at
Richmond Medical Centre in Kansanga, says.
A person’s spine is in the S-shape. Sitting turns it into a C-shape. Lubyayi says when one sits, particularly in a bad posture, the spine’s tissue are overstretched and tightened, making the back prone to pain and injury.
Back pain is the commonest symptom of poor posture and sitting for long. Tito Beyeza, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and head of the orthopaedics department at Mulago Hospital, says slouching holds the muscles in a longer than normal position, weakening them.
It also rounds the spine, slowly degenerating the discs and pushing them outward, resulting in pain. The recommended posture
Shiraz says instead of sitting forward in a chair, move your hips all the way to the back of the chair, move the seat in and closer to the desk so that you can sit up.
Place the monitor up on a book, block or shelf, so that you do not have to bend when looking at the screen. The screen should be at the same level with your eyes. Alternatively, have can adjust your chair so that your eyes are at the same level with the screen.
Rest your wrist on the desk. And your feet should be flat on the floor. Nonetheless, no matter how well you sit, you still bend at the hip and spend time off your feet. Therefore, muscles at the front of the hip eventually shorten, leading to an achy hip and back pain.
If you feel back pain when seated, change posture. The pain should go the moment you sit up In case the pain persists, a disease or medication could be causing the pain. Seek medical attention.
How to reduce pressure on the back
People whose work requires them to sit for long hours should get up occasionally to do an activity or take a walk. Shiraz advises that for those whose backs have already been affected, every 30 to 45 minutes, one should get up from their chairs and take a walk.
“Do not have food served to you at your workstation. Pick the food yourself, or walk to the kitchen and prepare a cup of tea,†Shiraz says. If you have to communicate with a colleague, instead of sending an email, walk up to them and
convey the message.
You can also stretch your muscles as you are seated, or you can stand and straighten out. Treatment “We advise patients on the ideal sitting position and because back problems are not like infections which would require antibiotics, we give only pain killers.
In case the situation is acute, advise physiotherapy treatment, which includes particular exercises,†Shiraz says. Shiraz says everyday, about 60% of the patients he receives are workers suffering from back problems. This mainly results from sitting for hours on end and bad sitting posture.