There are two different types of pain. First there is
acute pain. This is defined as pain that is the result of an injury, illness,
recent surgery or inflammation. Acute pain is only temporary and usually goes
away after the underlying cause has been resolved. The second type of pain is
chronic pain. This pain is defined as pain that overwhelms all other symptoms
and becomes the problem. It is a pain
that can last for weeks, months or even years. Chronic pain is said to be the
most costly health problem in America today. Estimated annual costs, which
include medical expenses, lost productivity and compensation payments, are
estimated at $90 billion. A good percentage of the chronic pain sufferers have
back pain.
Good posture plays a key role in keeping your spine
healthy. It helps to prevent back and neck pain and prevents injuries to the
spinal structures. Things to remember to maintain good posture include:
·
While standing and walking, keep the head level and not
too far forward. Keep your feet slightly apart with your weight toward the
balls of your feet and avoid locking your knees.
·
Sitting requires an incredible amount of muscular
effort to keep the body erect. The correct posture for sitting requires
sitting back in the chair and using the
chair's back support. Most people do the opposite and lean forward in a hunch
while sitting at their desk or computer. This position can over stretch the
spinal ligament and increase pressure on the spinal discs.
·
Learn to lift and carry correctly. This involves more
than just remembering to bend your knees. The correct way to lift is to bend at
the hips and push the chest outward. This will keep the back straight, causing
the knees to bend and allow the muscles of the legs and hips to produce the
power for lifting.
A good ergonomic office chair is a vital piece of
equipment to help relieve or prevent chronic back pain. The following tips will
help you choose a good ergonomic office chair.:
·
Make sure your elbows and your knees are bent at a 90
degree angle. Two fingers should slip easily between the bottom of your thigh
and the chair.
·
The backrest of the chair should push your lower back
forward slightly to help prevent
slouching down in the chair when you get tired.
·
The computer screen should be at eye level.
·
The armrest of the chair should just slightly lift your
arms above shoulder level. This helps to prevent neck and shoulder strain.
Stretching exercise will go a long way in preventing back pain and helping to alleviate existing
pain. There are three good stretching exercises that require no equipment and
can be done practically anywhere.
The first stretching exercise will stretch the muscle that
runs up the back of the thigh to the
bottom of the spine. To stretch this
muscle, lie on your back. Now place one leg over the other. Pull the knee to
the chest until you feel a stretching sensation in the buttock area. Hold for
30 seconds and then repeat with the
other leg.
The second exercise will stretch the muscle that is
attached to the lower spine. It is the cause of a lot of lower back pain when
tight. To stretch this muscle kneel on a knee.Turn the leg outward and pull the
buttock muscle tight on the particular
side that you are stretching. Lean forward at
the hip rather than bending at
the lower spine. A stretching sensation will be noticed in the hip, on the side
that you are kneeling on. Hold for 30 seconds.
The third is an exercise used to stretch the hamsting
muscle. It runs from behind the pelvic bone to behind the knee. Tight muscles
in this area are the cause of a lot of lower back pain problems. To stretch the
hamstring muscles, lie on your back and grab either leg right behind the
knee. Keep your hip flexed at a 90
degree angle and keep your knee bent.
Try to straighten out the knee with the
foot flexed so that the toes point toward you. Hold for 30 seconds.
Always make sure you consult your doctor before doing any
type of exercise. Your back is one of your most valuable assets. Take good care of it.
