Whether we’re in a pandemic or not, we live in a world where we’re constantly in a hurry, juggling multiple tasks and carrying our belongings with us everywhere. Believe it or not, this can have serious consequences on your back health. Here are some common activities that negatively impact the back health of Canadians:
Scenario
Commuting: just like sitting at your desk, hunching over your steering wheel can cause your muscles to tighten, curving your back. Over time this can result in long-term lower back problems. This is important for the 15.4 million Canadians who commute!
How to fix it: be sure to sit at a 90-degree angle and don’t fully extend your legs. Move your seat up to allow yourself to sit up straight. Adjust your lumbar (i.e. “low back”) support to fit your back, and if it’s not enough support, try rolling up a towel to help decrease stress on your lower back.
Scenario
Work-life: did you know sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing? It’s important to remember your posture especially when you’ve had a long day at your desk.
How to fix it: practice ‘active sitting’ with your feet flat on the floor in front of you with your back straight, your shoulders squared and chin parallel with the floor. Ensure your workspace is set up to enable frequent breaks from sitting, getting up at least once each hour can help keep you moving. Consider a sit/stand workstation to allow varied working positions.
Scenario
Carrying your belongings: when you’re carrying a heavy purse or laptop bag, your shoulders become out of line. This can cause your muscles to ache and can put uneven pressure on your spine.
How to fix it: reduce the number of items you carry with you. Also, consider using a backpack to help distribute the weight of your load evenly across your body. This will help avoid the stress of isolated muscles overcompensating for unevenly distributed weight.
Scenario
Improper lifting: you’re not alone if you have strained your back while lifting heavy boxes. Improperly lifting heavy items can put undue pressure on your spine and even cause spinal disc injury.
How to fix it: picture yourself doing the lift before engaging to ensure you’re keeping the object in front of you, your back is straight and you’re lifting with your knees/hips rather than your back.
Author: Dr. Marco De Ciantis, D.C.