Few people would argue that modern life is more sedentary than in the past; one of the negative effects of this is an abundance of health-related issues such as lack of exercise and posture problems leading to low back pain.
The Modern Workplace
When we think of the workplace and back pain we normally think of manual tasks and workers over-stretching or not taking the necessary precautions before lifting loads.
But, whether it's simply sitting at desks or driving our cars, there are other related hazards in the modern workplace.
We simply spend more time sitting down nowadays and the stresses associated with not sitting properly can be a central cause of low back pain.
When we combine bad posture with lack of exercise, poor diet, becoming overweight and leading generally higher stress lifestyles, it can become a collision course for our poor old backs, which are asked to do the vital job of supporting our whole bodies.
Are You a Candidate?
One way to assess whether you are a candidate for bad posture is to do a snap test right now. As you are reading these words how is your posture? Don't straighten up and raise your head as you read these words - just freeze the moment in time and assess your posture.
If you are slumped with a curved spine and your head and shoulders forward, with legs crossed, reading this off a computer monitor that is lower than eye level then you could be in store for some nasty low back, upper back or neck pain problems in the future.
In fact, just one or two of these poor posture characteristics can lead to problems.
The Seat of the Problem
Being the central support mechanism of the body, our lower backs carry a heavy load and they rarely get the chance to rest.
Even when we are in bed our sleeping posture may put undue pressure on some areas of the back.
So carrying the right posture through our daily life and especially for those of us who spend long hours sitting, becomes crucial. If we don't, we may increase pressure on discs and ligaments in the spine, causing them to wear away faster and setting us up for low back pain in later life.
Unfortunately many physicians go straight to medication to address low back pain without addressing the root causes of the problem; this can just as easily be poor sitting posture, poor diet, lack of exercise or excess stress in our lives, as other common causes like overstretching or injury.
Posture and Core Strength
A slouched sitting posture can have a negative impact on the Transversus Abdominis muscle especially. This is one of the main deep abdominal muscles which are core to stabilising the spine and maintaining balance and support in the lumbar spine region.
Periods of poor posture and physical inactivity can mean that this muscle will contract less often and less naturally, hindering the spinal support mechanisms of the low back region.
Correcting Bad Posture
The good news is that, if you suspect your sitting posture to be a cause of the problem, then you can immediately take some steps to correct it.
Remember you are looking to find a position that suits the natural curvature of your spine.
If you spend a lot of time in front of a computer, try raising your computer monitor until the center of the screen is at eye level.
This will encourage you to sit more upright, with a straight back and shoulders further back, instead of slumping forward and downward to your monitor.
Sit with your feet flat on the floor for stability and resist the temptation to cross your legs.
You will probably fall back into old habits subconsciously at first - each time you do, correct yourself again; bad habits are learned, so good habits can just as easily be learned!
For more serious low back pain, seek the advice of a healthcare professional who understands the importance of posture and can help identify the issues creating your low back pain. For the rest of us, a good place to start is with increased attention to maintaining correct posture, eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular exercises for the back's core muscles.
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