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Relieving Low Back Pain Since 1973. |
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NewsOffice Workers Risk Back StrainPeople who work in offices are among the most likely to suffer from back pain, according to the British Chiropractic Association. It says poor posture while sitting at a computer can cause more back problems than the excessive lifting and carrying done by manual workers. Other professions which run the risk of back problems are nurses, drivers, labourers and teaching staff. According to the BCA, a third of the population suffers from back pain. The spine was not designed for sitting in front of a computer or behind the wheel of a car for long periods. The muscles and ligaments supporting the spine become traumatized, bruised or inflamed. Most lower back pain doesn't result from injury to the bones of the spine, but from the strain and pressure put on the muscles, ligaments and joints whose job it is to support the spine. Tim Hutchful from the BCA said: "For many who work in an office environment, it is the day-to-day, mundane routines that are at the root of most back problems. "Hunching over computer keyboards and cradling the phone between the ear and shoulder can all contribute to lower back and neck stiffness, not to mention the fact that many office workers sit for hours at a time with very little movement." A survey of 2,374 people, carried out by the BCA, found that 59% of the working population sit down all day at work and almost 50% of those who work refuse to leave their desks, even for lunch. A total of 56% of BCA chiropractors highlighted that those who work in an office were more vulnerable to becoming victims of back pain. "This survey has highlighted what we chiropractors have known for some time," said Mr Hutchful. "Lack of exercise and sedentary lifestyle is taking its toll. "It is assumed that those most at risk from back pain are the ones who have very physical jobs. "However, as this research has unveiled, whilst lifting and carrying are still common triggers for back pain, it is those with less physically demanding jobs and who are often seated for the majority of the day that could be most prone to back problems." Story from BBC NEWS: © BBC Sitting Straight 'Bad for Backs'Sitting up straight is not the best position for office workers, a study has suggested. Scottish and Canadian researchers used a new form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to show it places an unnecessary strain on your back. They told the Radiological Society of North America that the best position in which to sit at your desk is leaning back, at about 135 degrees. Experts said sitting was known to contribute to lower back pain. Data from the British Chiropractic Association says 32% of the population spends more than 10 hours a day seated. Half do not leave their desks, even to have lunch. Two thirds of people also sit down at home when they get home from work. The research was carried out at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland. Twenty two volunteers with healthy backs were scanned using a positional MRI machine, which allows patients the freedom to move - so they can sit or stand - during the test. In this study, the patients assumed three different sitting positions: a slouching position, in which the body is hunched forward as if they were leaning over a desk or a video game console, an upright 90-degree sitting position; and a "relaxed" position where they leaned back at 135 degrees while their feet remained on the floor. The researchers then took measurements of spinal angles and spinal disk height and movement across the different positions. Spinal disk movement occurs when weight-bearing strain is placed on the spine, causing the disk to move out of place. Disk movement was found to be most pronounced with a 90-degree upright sitting posture. It was least pronounced with the 135-degree posture, suggesting less strain is placed on the spinal disks and associated muscles and tendons in a more relaxed sitting position. The "slouch" position revealed a reduction in spinal disk height, signifying a high rate of wear and tear on the lowest two spinal levels. When they looked at all test results, the researchers said the 135-degree position was the best for backs, and say this is how people should sit, although reclining at 135 degrees can make sitting more difficult as there is a tendency to slide off the seat: 120 degrees or less may be better." Dr Waseem Bashir of the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada, who led the study, said: "Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness." Rishi Loatey of the British Chiropractic Association said: "One in three people suffer from lower back pain and to sit for long periods of time certainly contributes to this, as our bodies are not designed to be so sedentary." Story from BBC NEWS: © BBC |
