How many days pass without anyone of us complaining about lower back pain or pain in the upper back-neck-shoulder region? Considering our increasingly sedentary lifestyles – especially at and to-and-fro from work, it does not take a rocket scientist to predict the range of health problems that can arise. The problems arise since the discs of the spinal column are under more pressure when sitting than while standing or lying down, and specific muscles are under constant tension.
While driving to and from work, in a moving vehicle, the body is subject to forces which include accelerations, decelerations, lateral swaying (from side to side), and multi-planar vibrations. Also since the feet are tied up manipulating the brake pedal and accelerator, they fail to support and stabilize the spine and the body, which increases the chance of back problems. Keep the knees and hips at right angles, shoulders relaxed, and steering wheel at a comfortable distance from the body which does not involve flexing the arm too much. At work, sitting for prolonged periods tire and stress the back muscles. Take frequent breaks from sitting every one hour or so. Adjustable chairs with good back support prevent agonizing back pain.
Such chairs spread your weight over a large surface area in order to minimize the strain on any one part, which means a chair that leans backward as you’re resting. If you don’t have access to a chair with a good back support, place a small pillow in the small of the back to correct the curve. When sitting in a chair, the feet should be supported on the floor. Neck pain is common while sitting. Make sure your computer monitor isn’t too high of low and is at eye level. Avoid keeping your computer keyboard too high or too far away, else the arms have to be kept raised or extended, resulting in tense shoulder and upper back muscles and back pain.
Leaning your head over for prolonged periods of time is brutal on your neck muscles. Keep the arm hanging at the sides while not using the computer . Learn a few stretches for these muscle groups and de-stress. scientist to predict the range of health problems that can arise.
The problems arise since the discs of the spinal column are under more pressure when sitting than while standing or lying down, and specific muscles are under constant tension. While driving to and from work, in a moving vehicle, the body is subject to forces which include accelerations, decelerations, lateral swaying (from side to side), and multi-planar vibrations. Also since the feet are tied up manipulating the brake pedal and accelerator, they fail to support and stabilize the spine and the body, which increases the chance of back problems.
Keep the knees and hips at right angles, shoulders relaxed, and steering wheel at a comfortable distance from the body which does not involve flexing the arm too much. At work, sitting for prolonged periods tire and stress the back muscles. Take frequent breaks from sitting every one hour or so. Adjustable chairs with good back support prevent agonizing back pain. Such chairs spread your weight over a large surface area in order to minimize the strain on any one part, which means a chair that leans backward as you’re resting.
If you don’t have access to a chair with a good back support, place a small pillow in the small of the back to correct the curve. When sitting in a chair, the feet should be supported on the floor. Neck pain is common while sitting. Make sure your computer monitor isn’t too high of low and is at eye level. Avoid keeping your computer keyboard too high or too far away, else the arms have to be kept raised or extended, resulting in tense shoulder and upper back muscles and back pain. Leaning your head over for prolonged periods of time is brutal on your neck muscles.
Keep the arm hanging at the sides while not using the computer . Learn a few stretches for these muscle groups and de-stress.
Sindhu Ramachandran is an engineer but with a passion for people and learning, found her calling in the domains of human behaviour and connection. What followed is an eight-year research into ‘Intentions of Human Behaviour’ which has now morphed into a project called “Simplifying Life!” Deeply spiritual in her outlook, she is an avid reader, an amateur documentary-film maker and very interested in mystical sciences, besides dabbling in writing when inspired by the environment around her!