Too much sitting is bad for your back!

Too much sitting is bad for your back!
By Chiropractor Bella Sichel
As a Chiropractor, with Health on Hand Mansfield on 15 St John Street, I am seeing more and more patients presenting with back issues that have come about due to the effect of sitting for long periods.  The human spine is not designed to withstand the pressures of sitting and people are suffering as a consequence!  Chiropractic care has been found to help alleviate these pressures and can give patients significant relief from their back pain.
The diagram below demonstrates how different back positions affect the pressure on the low back discs (the cushioning material between your back bones).  One of the long-term risks of this pressure on your back is suffering from a disc bulge which can in turn give you sciatica (pain down your legs).  While this is something that chiropractors usually can help alleviate, isn’t it better to prevent it happening in the first place?
Advice

• As you can see from the diagram, when you are standing there is the least amount of pressure on your spine. Standing desks are becoming more and more common in office settings and from my experience seem to be helping tremendously with people’s back issues.
• Getting up from the desk every 30 minutes and moving around will also help, as will a walk at lunch time.
• Keeping your posture upright, avoid slouching and keeping the back of your chair upright, but tilted slightly backwards can all help prevent back pain.
• Taking regular exercise to activate your muscles and doing core exercise will help to support your spine.
• Getting your spine checked by a chiropractor can also help to alleviate the stresses of work. Chiropractic treatment aims to restore alignment of your body and free up the tight areas.

For further information on chiropractic and if it can help you or your colleagues please call Health on Hand Mansfield, 15 St John Street, Mansfield, on: 01623 635333
Or visit www.healthonhand.co.uk
Special rates available to 2020 members: Initial Consultation and treatment £40, follow up treatments £30. Offer valid the whole of 2019. Please quote ‘2020’ when making the appointment.