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Top 5 tips to avoid spinal problems with good posture

Spinal problems
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Most people at some point in their lives suffer from back pain, ranging from minor (having little to no impact on daily function) or severe (with significant impacts on daily life).  

Often this is a result of acute trauma caused by engagement in normal daily tasks where our posture has put the spine at risk.

Why is posture important?

Without supporting good posture you risk long term spinal problems that will undoubtedly impact on your ability to freely engage in activity without pain or discomfort.

 

What is posture?

Posture is the way that you hold your body while standing, sitting, lying or performing tasks and often associated with bending, lifting, pulling and reaching.  

To have good posture means that you need to be aware of always holding yourself in a way that puts least strain on your back and associated muscles, ligaments or tendons whatever you are doing.

Your spine has natural curves that forms an ‘S’ shape and when viewed from the side the cervical and lumbar spine have a lordotic (inward) curve, with the thoracic spine having a gentle kyphotic (outward) curve.

Top 5 tips

1- Sitting

Width (A), depth (B), seat height (C) and back height (E) are likely to be the most critical in ensuring good sitting posture.

2- Hyperlordosis

Hyperlordosis is commonly described as an increase in the normal lordotic lumbar curve leading to an increased anterior tilt and hip flexion.

3- Pelvic positioning

One of the critical elements to maintaining good posture is supporting pelvic stability.  The pelvic position is the building block on which the rest of the body is supported therefore if its stable neutral position is not maintained everything relying on it is also compromised.

Consider the image below and the neutral position of the pelvis.  It is neither in full tilt, creating flexion or hyperextension. This encourages the natural spinal position with the 3 curves evident.

4- Shoulders

5- Environment/task

Not only should you review your bodies positioning to support good posture but also pay attention to what tasks are being completed from that position and how the environment impacts, whether positively or negatively, on it.

Following these 5 tips as well as increasing your knowledge about back care should be a good starting point to avoiding future spinal problems and associated pain.

 

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