Be kind to your back

I had a client last week who had been given  a voucher for a massage. She was expecting a de-stress “Fluff’n Buff” treatment and I had to break the bad news that she had come to  the wrong place!

So, I pacified her by extolling the benefits of Deep Tissue Massage. I asked if she had any aches or pains and she mentioned that her lower thoracic and lumbar spine  are always a little sore. I already knew that she worked in an office so the obvious question was how does she sit. Rather cheerily she replied that she always sits with one leg crossed under the other. Did this make her twist I wondered. Yes, she said, she was aware that she does not sit square to the desk. Could this be the cause of her back pain she wondered!

This got me thinking that there are all kinds of activities of daily living (ADLs) that can cause back  and neck discomfort. However, with a little self help and awareness they  could be eliminated.

Let’s look at a few:

Deskwork: Sitting at a desk, answering the phone, inputing data onto a computer, using the mouse. They can all lead to postural adaptions and discomfort. So firstly, look at the position of your desk in relation to your chair. Can you comfortably rest your elbows on the desk without leaning into it or raising your shoulders? Is the chair perhaps a little too deep and you have to lean forward?  What is the chair support like and do you use it or perch on the edge of the seat?!  Really obvious questions but regular habits sometimes blot out the obvious. Adjust the chair height, bring the keyboard closer to you rather than you closer to the keyboard. Ensure that the screen is in front of you, preferably at head height. This is very difficult if you use a laptop but laptop stands are available and you may find that the persistent sore neck you have had for months might just go away.

If you use a mouse or touch pad, try swapping hands every hour or so. It will feel very weird for a while but persist and it’ll click (pardon the pun) in a few days.

Set up a regular stretching routine that you can do at your desk e.g. every time you put the phone down stretch the neck. Try putting one hand under the desk chair and then leaning away from it. This will keep the shoulder down. Now, tilt your head into the lean (imagine you have dozed off on a train). Now bring your other hand to rest on the opposite side of your head .Move your head down or up until you feel a perfect stretch in your neck. You can do other stretches for your upper back, shoulder and forearms. You may get some funny looks but you will feel much better throughout the day.

Driving: Next time you get in your car sit up straight. Feel the whole of your back being supported by the seat. Lift your head up and look directly ahead. Now check your mirror. Chances are you cannot see out of the mirror as it is now way too low! You have been slouching without realizing it. Make a point every Monday morning to do the mirror test. Sit upright and adjust your mirror to the correct angle for your new taller position. Check again by the end of the week and ask yourself if you really are sitting up straight and supporting your back.

Lifting: Quite often a back spasm or onset of pain is not caused by lifting a Grand piano up the stairs it could be a little more mundane like lifting shopping out of the car or carrying a toddler up the stairs.

An awareness of core stability would help here. Just by flattening your tummy (as if you were pulling up the zip on some tight jeans) just before you attempt a lift willactivate the deeper corset-like muscles of your abdomen and increase intra-abdominal pressure slightly. This will have the effect of providing a natural brace for you back.

If you are lifting something from beneath you, brace your abs, bend your knees and use the strong muscles of your legs and glutes to aid the lift, keep the back out of danger-straight and braced.

So next time you experience an annoying niggle in your back don’t just reach for the pain killers and put it down to old age. Take a moment to go through all the instances when you may have put your back in a compromised position throughout the week and promise yourself to not make it a habit. Of course, if you have left it too late, you can always visit your nearest friendly Deep Tissue Massage Therapist!