Many people associate back pain with bad posture. But what is good posture and how can this prevent back pain?
People have different shapes and sizes. Similarly, spines come in many different shapes and sizes. Generally speaking your spine is curved in an S-shape with, when looking from the side, a curve in your neck and in your lower back. When looking from behind most spines are straight with all vertebrae in one line. However, exceptions do apply. And it is important to realise that if your spine is shaped differently this does not necessarily mean you have or will develop back pain.
In order to keep our back fit and healthy, we should adopt a posture that allows the structures in our back to do the things they are supposed to do. ‘Bad’ posture can put unnecessary strain on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and vertebrae which in the long term may result in structural changes that can constrict blood vessels and nerves or cause other problems with the muscles, joints, discs in the spine.
Good posture
Your body can take numerous different postures and it is almost impossible to describe them all here, however some general principles to promote good posture:
- Make sure your back is well supported when seated for long periods of time. Extra support in your lower back (a lumbar roll) can improve the comfort of many seats and chairs
- Keeping your neck and head in line with your spine prevents unnecessary strain on the muscles in the neck.
When looking from behind, your spine should be straight. If you have to bend your spine sideways for a long time, you will start to feel uncomfortable - Many chairs and seats have been designed to fit this natural S shape of your spine. Many people find that maintaining this S shape when seated gives them more comfort and less pain.
But more importantly: move around regularly. Even the best posture will start to become uncomfortable after some time. Move around and change your posture regularly.
Examples of bad posture include:
- Hunching the shoulders forward
- Slumping in your seat
To prevent such postures from giving you back pain, you should restrict the amount of time you adopt these ‘bad’ postures. While your body is perfectly able to cope with many of the daily stresses, excessive exposure to such bad postures may increase your risk of developing back pain.