August 22nd, 2009
Sitting and reaching have a profound impact on your posture. Both sitting and reaching stress the spine. Reaching stresses both the spine, shoulder, elbow and wrist. Sitting and reaching contribute to poor posture that can cause neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and wrist pain.
Sitting has a negative impact on your back for several reasons. Since our spines were made to move, it should come as no surprise that hours on end of sitting in a static position leads to injury.
In addition to a lack of movement, the sitting posture itself is structurally stressful to the spine. When we are standing upright, the lower back should have a sweeping forward curve which promotes stability by reducing pressure on the discs that separate our vertebra. Sitting reverses the normal curve in our lower backs and increases the pressure on the discs leading to an increased chance of injury.
From a postural standpoint, the sitting position can promote rounded shoulders, slumping forward of the upper back and jutting forward of the jaw. Not only are these postures unattractive but they contribute to the development of tendonitis and result in stretch weakness of the involved muscles.
There are volumes of information regarding ideal sitting postures both on the web and within other posts on this site. Sorting out your posture with the use of a good ergonomic chair will help you maintain good posture and spinal health.
Reaching at or beyond your normal arc of motion also contributes to poor posture and cumulative trauma type injuries, especially of the neck and shoulder. It is vitally important to the health of your frame to keep objects that you use on a regular basis within easy reach. Your phone, the mouse, stapler, etc., if used frequently through the course of your day, should be within your immediate reach. Objects that are used less frequently can be kept farther away, closer to the edge of your comfortable reach.
Take a good look at your work space. Making a few simple changes will help save your posture and your spinal health.
Here’s To Your Health
Dr. Jones
San Diego Chiropractic
(619) 261-6590
No comments:
Post a Comment