How to Take Care of Our Back?
Backcare is of utmost importance if you are a patient of Low Back Ache. One should take care of his/her back in activities of daily living, postures while driving, working at the office, lifting weight, posture while sleeping, choosing the right mattress, and many more things.
We are discussing some of the ergonomically helpful tips for low back pain below –
- A patient with chronic low backache should avoid lifting heavyweight, however, one can bend the hip and knee to lower down and lift a lighter weight rather than bending over from the back.
- While choosing a mattress one should consider that it’s not too hard or too spongy that may alter the spine curvature while lying on it. Rather it should be firm allowing 1 to 1 ½ inch of cushioning so that the spine and body curvatures adapt to its normal curves while lying.
- A person can use a pillow underneath the knees while lying straight or between the knees in a side-lying position to reduce stress in lower back structures if the symptoms of low backache are too bothersome.
- Pillow should always be used underneath the head to support the neck curvature no matter whatsoever neck issues
you are facing. But if you are habitual of lying on your tummy, the pillow should be avoided.
- While doing household chores or using a laptop in a standing position using a stool under one leg to avoid stress in your back. Keep changing the leg on a stool to avoid excessive load on one leg.
- While carrying a load make sure to hold it close to your body. While pushing or pulling use your body weight to drag or push the stuff with feet wide apart, do not exaggerate or flatten the lumbar curve.
- Don’t slouch or bend forward while sitting on a chair. Use a cushion beneath the lumbar (lower back) area to maintain an erect posture. Use a stool to prevent forward bending.
- Use an inclined board on the table for reading and writing activities to prevent bend over and complete backrest at the same time.
The Ideal Posture while Driving:
- The seat should be inclined to 100-110 degrees
- The seat should be pulled forward so that the arm is flexed to 20-30 degrees and elbow to 70-90 degrees.
- Use of lumbar roll or a cushion around the lower back while driving
- Head support should be tilted to support the back of the head; one should not be pushing into the head support. This is to maintain a neutral head-neck alignment.
- If one has to drive for long hours, take a break every 45 mins to an hour and performs stretches to release the stress developed and
- Please always use the seat belt while driving.
Postural Guidelines to minimize Stress on structures compromised while using a Computer :
- Ear, shoulder, and elbow should be in one line,
- Eyes leveled at the upper level of the screen, and screen placed at an arm’s length distance,
- Arms should be resting on the armrest,
- The height of the table and chair should be adjusted to avoid any leaning forward
- If you are working on a laptop, use an inclined laptop stand to raise the screen to eye level and an additional keyboard that should be within reach with arms by the side.
Contact Pain-Free Physiotherapy Clinic to better understand your Back Care problem and Diagnose the fault that may be causing your symptoms.