Spine, Bone & Joint Clinic

Get Your Back Health Back

Good posture helps!

Most people experience back pain at some point in their life. In fact, it is one of the most common ailments that affect the global population. There are many causes of back pain like trauma, infection, tumour, congenital problems; however many times it develops, during the course of the day to day activities in the absence of the above-mentioned factors. Activities such as prolonged sitting at the computer, lifting heavy weights, prolonged standing with forwarding bend at the waist may stress the muscles, ligaments, joints and discs that make up the spine and result in back pain. One simple solution is maintaining a good posture.

Posture is the way we hold our body during standing, sitting, lying down and while performing various tasks. Good posture exerts the least pressure on the intrinsic structures that make up your back, thus maintaining good back health.

The effects of good posture on back health are multidimensional:

It keeps bones and joints in the correct position, thereby decreasing the strain on the ligaments in the spine. It also allows the muscles to be used more efficiently. And finally, decreases wear and tear of joint surfaces preventing backache and muscular pain.

As a spine surgeon, I am frequently asked a very burning question on a daily basis-

I maintain a good posture, yet I have this nagging pain in the back :

But, is your good posture really GOOD?

The first step towards a good posture is to identify what needs improvement. This involves examining your own posture during the course of the day. Asking your colleague in the office or room-mate at home to observe and comment on the posture also works for some people.

Examples of Bad Posture

The following are examples of commonly adopted poor posture and poor ergonomics that need correction to attain good posture :

Slouching and slumping with the shoulders hunched forward and trunk collapsed.
Slipping forward on the chair while sitting.
Swayback or exaggerated lordosis which is too large of an inward curve in the lower back.
Carrying something heavy on one side of the body.
Cradling a phone receiver between the neck and shoulder.
Wearing high-heeled shoes or clothes that are too tight.
Keeping the head held too high or looking down too much.
Sleeping with a mattress or pillow that doesn’t provide proper back support.

Once we identify the areas where we need to improve, we need to change habits and make efforts to correct those areas. It might feel a bit unnatural, but over time the new posture will seem natural and comfortable.

Get your back dancing again!!

The following are important points on attaining a good posture at the workplace or home.

Correct Sitting Position

Sit with back and shoulders straight, making sure that your back touches the back of the chair. Your buttocks should touch the back of your chair and body weight should be distributed evenly on both hips. You can use a small, rolled-up towel or a lumbar roll to help maintain the normal curves in your back.
Bend your knees at a right angle. Keep your knees even with or slightly higher than your hips.
Keep your feet flat on the floor. Use a footrest if your feet do not reach the floor.
Avoid slouching or leaning forwards especially when sitting for a long period of time. Try to avoid sitting in the same position for more than 30 minutes. Get up, walk around and stretch after every 30 minutes.
At work, adjust your chair height and workstation so that you can sit up close to your work. Your elbows and arms should be rested on your chair or desk, keeping your shoulders relaxed. The elbows should be flexed between 75 to 90 degrees.

Standing Posture

Stand straight and tall with shoulders upright, head centred over the pelvis, and not jutting out. Ear, shoulder, hip knee and ankle should fall in the same line when seen from the side.
Weight should be equally distributed on the two feet kept slightly apart, about shoulder-width.
Let arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
If standing for a long period of time, shift weight from one foot to the other, or rock from heels to toes.

Driving Posture

Essentially the same points are to be followed as for sitting posture. The seat height and distance from the steering wheel and pedals should be properly adjusted so as to avoid leaning forward or reaching.
The head should be properly supported on the headrest. Try stepping out and stretching the body after 30 minutes when you have to drive for long.

Correct Lifting Posture

Make sure that you have firm footing and a non-slippery floor. Stand with a wide stance close to the object you are trying to pick up and keep your feet firm on the ground.
Do not bend forward at the waist, rather keep your back straight and bend at your knees and hips.
Use abdominal and leg muscles to lift up and not the lower back muscles. Straighten your knees in a steady motion. Don’t jerk the object up to your body. Stand completely upright without twisting.
Keep your stomach muscles tight. Take small steps and go slowly.
If you are lifting an object from a table, slide it to the edge of the table so that you can hold it close to your body. Bend your knees so that you are close to the object. Use your legs to lift the object and come to a standing position. Hold packages close to your body.
To lower the object, place your feet as you did to lift, tighten stomach muscles and bend your hips and knees.

Sleeping and Lying Down

There seems to be a mystery around the kind of mattress that you should use. But there is no rule. Select a relatively firm mattress that does not sag. This generally provides good support to the back, however individual preference matters.
Sleeping on the side or back is more comfortable than sleeping on the stomach. Pillow should be placed under your head, but not your shoulders, and should be a thickness that allows your head to be in a normal position avoiding an acute bend in the spine.
When lying on the back a pillow may be placed under the knee, and when lying down on the side it may be placed in between the legs to keep the spine straight and aligned.

When standing up from the lying position, turn on your side, draw up both knees and swing your legs on the side of the bed. Sit up by pushing yourself up with your hands. Avoid bending forward at your waist.