Spine Health Care Tips: In today’s lifestyle, people spend most of their time working bent over computer/laptop for hours. According to experts, such posture can cause many problems in the spine.
All types of spinal pain should be taken seriously.
The spinal cord is a major organ system of the human body. Its structure is very complex, in which more than 100 joints, ligaments, soft tissues and muscles are interconnected. Any obstruction in any one of these things can cause spinal problems, which can cause damage to bones, joints, ligaments or muscles.
Avoid making these 4 mistakes to keep your spine healthy
The spinal cord acts as a messenger for other parts of the body. This is a group of nerves, which transmits the messages of the brain to every organ of the body. Keeping the spinal cord healthy is very important to live life properly.
These are the 4 mistakes which harm the spinal cord :
- Do not stay in one position for a long time: You should change the position of your body every 30 minutes, because sitting, standing or remaining in a static posture for a long time can cause pain and discomfort. Taking frequent breaks does not mean that you leave your work, rather take a walk for 2-3 minutes in between work or move your body parts while sitting on your chair.
- Do not bend for a long time: Keeping your shoulders bent forward can cause damage to the spine. Because of this, the risk of developing kyphosis, which is also called ‘hunchback’, increases. Leaning forward for a long time damages the structure of the spine.
- Avoid looking down for extended periods of time: Working at a computer or desk for extended periods of time, as well as activities such as reading or typing on a cell phone, often results in poor posture by tilting the head forward, which can cause neck strain. And there is tension in the muscles of the upper back. An easy way is to always remember to broaden your shoulders and the head should be in the middle of your shoulders.
- Do not use sofa/bean bag for working: It is very important to use the right chair while working while sitting for a long time. Some people sit on the sofa/bed/bean bag and work on their laptop for hours. Doing this is harmful for the spine as well as other body parts.
“Ergonomic chairs available in the market are designed to provide support to the body while sitting for long periods of time.”
Dr. Preeti Tare, Senior Physiotherapist- P.D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Khar
Do these measures to make your spine healthy
- Exercise regularly: The repair and remodeling of spinal tissues is affected by the stress placed on them. Regular exercise and strengthening activities will promote a healthier, stronger and more stable spine.
- Maintain the flexibility of the spine: Regular activity and stretching helps in maintaining the flexibility of the spine. Flexibility is important to reduce the risk of injury.
- Eat healthy foods: Healthy foods Adequate nutrition from food helps in the development and repair of joints and spine, which contributes to strengthening the spinal tissues, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
- Keep checking the amount of Vitamin D and Calcium: Keep checking the amount of Vitamin D and Calcium in the body. If necessary, take supplements as per doctor’s advice.
- Don’t lift too much weight: Always try to lift objects weighing more than 10 pounds in a balanced manner. Avoid overloading your luggage, backpack or purse.
“Nowadays people, especially the youth, are more health conscious. They take their health seriously. But sometimes they overdo it in the gym and can become victims of injury. I have noticed problems in bones and joints in young people. “We haven’t seen an increase in injuries, but gym-related injuries have definitely increased due to lack of warm-ups and stretching.”
Dr. Vinish Mathur, Director- Division of Spine, Institute of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Orthopedics, Medanta, Gurugram
- Take breaks from time to time: Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time by taking breaks from time to time to keep your legs and back active.
- Maintain good posture: Bad posture is the most common cause of back and neck pain, so adopt a healthy posture while sitting, standing and lying down.
- Use a good pillow and mattress: A person spends an average of one-third of his life sleeping, therefore, providing proper support to the spine and head during this period will have a profound impact on the health of the spine.
- Sleep on your back or side: These positions are generally more supportive of the spine than sleeping on the stomach.
What is the correct posture for sitting and working?
“There is no single body position that is recommended for sitting. Every person should be comfortable sitting with properly adjusted hips, knees, ankles and elbows.”
Dr. Preeti Tare, Senior Physiotherapist- P.D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Khar
Experts have suggested some common ways to sit correctly:
- Keep joints like hips, knees and ankles in a comfortable position at 90° or slightly more.
- Place the knee joints at or below the hip joints.
- Keep the ankle joints in front of the knees.
- Keep a gap of three fingers’ width between the back of the knee joint and the front edge of the seat.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.
To keep the spine healthy, it is important to adopt a proactive approach. These include regular exercise, maintaining good posture (especially for people who sit for long periods of time), using comfortable chairs, taking regular breaks from work to move around, avoiding rapid falls, limiting driving and Always pay attention to symptoms. Paying attention to all these things can help in preventing possible causes of serious disability in the future.
