Back pain, whether in the neck, or upper or lower back, is a common complaint of people everywhere. Often, these problems arise because we use poor posture during our day-to-day activities. If you notice any discomfort in your back or neck and would like to know how to improve your posture, read on! Our spine experts are happy to share their recommendations and advice for good postural health.
We should be aware that posture is important when carrying out our daily activities. In fact, practicing proper postural hygiene every day is essential for taking care of your spine. To help you with this, the experts at Instituto Clavel and the physiotherapy center IC Rehabilitation have put together these basic guidelines to keep in mind when making certain movements or using different positions throughout your day. But first, let's begin by understanding what we mean by proper postural hygiene.
When we talk about postural hygiene, we refer to using the posture that experts recommend to help prevent harming or injuring the back. In order to use good posture, it is important to consider all the typical movements we make and positions we use throughout the day. In the following, we offer some tips and describe some exercises that will help you practice proper postural hygiene during different daily activities.
1. Sleeping posture
According to spine specialists, the best posture for sleeping is to lie on your back, face up. This position fully supports the spine and helps you breathe, making it comfortable all night long. Another option is to sleep on your side, but then you should bend your hips and knees a little, or better yet, just bend the knee of the leg that is below, leaving the leg on top straight.
In addition to your sleeping position, the mattress and pillow play a fundamental role in your back health. Our advice is to always test the mattress and pillow before buying them, because what is good for some one else’s back may not be good for yours. Ideally, the mattress and pillow should be of medium firmness, neither too soft nor too hard.
Do you often take a nap or fall asleep on the couch? Watch out, and be aware of your position! Try to follow the guidelines mentioned above, stretch out as much possible and without forcing your neck on the armrest, always using a soft cushion similar to your pillow.
2. Standing posture
If you are on your feet for long periods of time, you should also try to use good posture so as not to damage your back. Stand up straight, and try this trick of placing one foot in front, and alternate shifting your weight from one foot to the other.
Keep your posture in mind when you walk, as well. As we said earlier, the fundamental thing is to keep your upper body in proper alignment, with your back straight and your head upright. The shoes you walk in are also key to proper postural hygiene, because the way you step affects balance and how your body weight is distributed. The ideal shoe, in addition to being comfortable, should have a heel of about 5 centimeters.
3. Posture when using a computer
More and more people work in a sitting position all day in front of a computer, hardly ever getting up. In addition, with more people working remotely from home, a lot of us find that we do not have the appropriate table and chair set up for this function. These situations, together with the poor posture we tend to use without thinking when we’re focused on a screen, have a significant negative impact on the health of the lumbar and cervical spine. With the aid of Dr. Clavel, we will discover some rules of thumb to follow if you work in front of a computer.
First of all, to sit with good posture, we need a chair that gives complete support to the entire back to keep the spine in proper alignment. The chair should also be adjusted to a height that allows us to sit up straight with our feet flat on the ground. If the chair has armrests, they should be at a height that allows the shoulders to rest in a relaxed way while in a sitting position.
The desk or table should allow us to put our legs underneath it in a way that keeps us at the right distance from the screen. The screen itself should be placed at eye-level to avoid causing neck strain. Lastly, remember the rest of your body! Rest your eyes and get up every now and then to stretch and change positions for a few minutes.
In the following video, our physiotherapist, Iria Rabell, the Director of FisioSpine, shows you some exercises for maintaining good posture in front of the computer.
These guidelines are valid for other situations in which you are in a sitting position, for example, when you eat, or sit in an armchair watching TV or series on an electronic device. These are times when we tend to forget about posture and just relax, but to prevent problems in the long term, try to remember to keep your back in proper alignment, sitting straight against the back of the seat, and if your legs are tired, you can use a footrest.
4. Posture when lifting weight
When you have to lift something heavy from off the ground, the correct way to do it is to squat down, with your knees bent and your feet slightly apart, while keeping your back straight. Once you have the heavy object in hand, try to hold it close to your body, to better control your balance and allow you to use the upper part of your body to help with the lifting. Doing this will enable your back to stay straight as you lift. This posture is also good to use for lifting or carrying groceries, but in this case, remember to try to distribute the weight, carrying some in each hand so that not all the weight is loaded on one side of your body.
In addition to being aware of the posture you use, also remember that there are several things you can easily do to care for your back as you go through your daily life. Among them, are:
- Avoid becoming overweight by keeping a balanced, healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Stay hydrated. Drink about 2 liters of water a day.
- Exercise regularly. A sedentary lifestyle is your back's worst enemy.
- Change positions often and move from time to time.
- Avoid making sudden, rapid movements that can damage muscles and joints.
- Warm up before practicing any exercise and stretch well when finished.
- Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day so that the back can recover.
We hope that you found this article useful. However, if you have back pain that does not go away, please don’t hesitate to contact us to request more information or ask for an evaluation of your personal case.
Categories: Prevention, Wellness, Back pain