What Do You Know About "Non-Accidental Back Injury"?

On a recent survey of over 2,000 office workers, 70% of the poll respondents said that their backs felt significantly worse at the end of their work day as compared to the start of their day.

“It should come as no surprise that sitting for long periods in an office chair can cause low back pain. Sitting adds large amounts of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs (even more than standing), and often people with desk jobs don’t move around much and/or they slouch, causing even more strain on spinal structures,” says John Triano, DC, PhD, a chiropractor in Plano, Texas. “However, the poll results do suggest that ‘ergonomics’ is not yet well understood or applied correctly in the office environment. Just having an office chair, key board or mouse labeled as ‘ergonomic’ isn’t enough by itself to prevent low back pain.”

According to experts, what matters most when selecting an office chair isn’t price or if the chair is labeled ‘ergonomic’ but more importantly how well educated its user is about correct body position and biomechanics. When setting up an office chair, the single most important step is to support the lower back curve. Then, additional modifications can be used to adjust the office chair according to the individual’s unique physical proportions.

Throughout each work day, people with desk jobs should avoid slouching or leaning forward. This can lead to permanent changes in normal body structure.

Another important point: avoid static posture while sitting. “Even if you use your office chair properly, sitting for prolonged periods will usually cause fatigue and discomfort – especially if the person already has an unhealthy back. My best advice is to find a specialist or health care provider that can get you headed back in the right direction,” adds Dr. Triano.

Prolonged static posture is the enemy. The healthy body can only tolerate staying in one position for about 20 minutes. That is why sitting on an airplane, at a desk in an office chair, or at a movie theatre becomes uncomfortable after a short time. Standing in one place, such as standing on a concrete floor for extended periods of time tends to cause back pain. Holding the same position slowly diminishes elasticity in the soft tissues (muscles ligaments and tendons in the back). Then, stress builds up and causes back discomfort and/or leg discomfort.

An unhealthy body will begin to breakdown and fail in even less time. These changes often go unnoticed while a degenerative process continues to take place. By this point, the damage is already being done!


Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

UPCOMING EVENT!

March 23rd - April 3rd is “Healthy Back at Work – Healthy Back for Life”. Do you know someone who sits for more than 4 hours per day? Give them this newsletter. We welcome them to call us -to schedule a free 15 minute biomechanics and ergonomics consultation (free back support with every consultation).
Please, see the front desk for more details.

Degenerative Disease At An All Time High - Take Action Now!

The focus of this week’s newsletter is how unhealthy work habits can literally promote degenerative disease. The thing to know and remember is this… if you don’t know how to prevent it – you will get it!

INTRODUCTION: At one time or another, most people have experienced back pain and stiffness. People often attribute this to a "stressful day" or "sleeping wrong". Most commonly, a degenerative process or disorder of the spine is responsible. Degenerative "disease" typically refers to the bodily changes associated with excessive, unnatural wear and tear as you age.

DEFINITION: Degenerative disease of the spine refers to a breakdown of its normal shape and architecture.

THE PROBLEM: The joints, discs, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves of the body are designed to last a very long time. However, medical research is showing that degenerative disease is reaching an all time high, even in young adults and children.

THE SOLUTION: Some medical “experts” say that degenerative disease is part of getting older or is genetic. These same “experts” will say that anti-inflammatory drugs and low impact exercise are the best solution. The truth is education, detection and prevention is the best way to stop, or avoid all together, problems associated with degenerative disease.

It is a medical fact that the body responds to stress and physical demands by either building up (building muscle/bone) or breaking down (degenerative disease). Another medical fact is that the shape and condition of your spine, your “core” dictates which direction you will go.

For example, the normal curvature of the lower spine has a strong tendency to change shape when sitting for long periods of time. Most often the normal curvature is reduced. This change alters the load bearing capacity of the lower spine, i.e. its ability to handle stress while sitting, standing, lifting, playing, etc. For this reason, we are seeing a dramatic increase in back ache/pain and degenerative disease in people who sit for more than 4 hours per day – this includes sitting at work, in the car, and on the couch!

If you sit for more than 4 hours per day do not fret. You can take control of the situation. However, you must take the right steps if you are to avoid degenerative disease and enjoy a happy, active retirement.

First, you must know if your lower back curve is normal, or has already changed. Remember, your sitting habits can develop an excessive curvature just as easily as a reduced curvature – both cases can be disastrous! Then, with this understanding your sitting posture can be specifically modified to reduce, and in many cases, even correct the problem. The benefits of making such a seemingly minor change can be significant enough to help you avoid the “inevitability” of degenerative disease. According to medical research, the people who go to work without this knowledge will experience an accelerated aging process and inevitably develop degenerative disease.

This knowledge can be obtained in less than 5 minutes with a standing x-ray. The shape and condition of your low back curvature can be measured, and any signs of degenerative disease can be evaluated. Most importantly, this information will allow you to take preventative measures before it’s too late.

Know your spine, change your habits, and take control of your life! We are here to help you do just that.

Speak up and educate others,


Dr. Craig Burns

“As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.”