Back pain; Make bad backs take a seat

Back pain, make bad backs take a back seat: One of the main culprits of back pain in chronic, non-traumatic lower back pain is sitting and leaning back. Leaning back flattens the lower, or lumbar area of your back, depriving the lower back of its natural curve, “the weight of your body then pulls down on the lower lumbar vertebrae in the spine, stressing the ligaments and discs” so says Pamela Adams, D.C., a chiropractor and yoga instructor from Larkspur California. Practising correct posture is an effective way to prevent and relieve muscular back pain.

It is recommended when sitting to lift your breast bone. The proper position for sitting is just in front of your sit bones or the ischium bones in the pelvis. Those are the big bones that you can feel pressing against the chair right where your thighs end and your buttocks begin. You should be able to feel them if you are sitting correctly. Try not to tip forwards, don’t round or hunch your back and shoulders, and keep your feet flat on the floor. “You should be conscious of the curve in the small of your back” says Dr Adams.

Choose a chair that best supports and caters to your size and shape; there is a selection of orthopaedic posture chairs . Always consult your GP at the onset of back pain.