HERE IS HOW EXCESSIVE SITTING CAN CAUSE SPINE INJURIES

HERE IS HOW EXCESSIVE SITTING CAN CAUSE SPINE INJURIES 

~ Authored by Dr Swapnil Keny (FHK), consultant, Orthopedics, Fortis Hospital Kalyan on the occasion of Spinal Cord Injury Day, 5 September ~ 

 Low Back Pain (LBP) is a mounting health problem in the 21st century and is the second most common pain issue reported after headaches. Since there has been a high incidence and prevalence of back problems, especially in recent years, LBP contributes to long-term sickness, poor quality of life, self-perceived disability, and early retirement. A sedentary lifestyle has recently become omnipresent, as an increasing number of individuals spend a significant amount of time sitting at work and leisure.  

Digital devices, including mobile phones, are also adding to this strain. Due to the availability of mobile devices, people are increasingly using portable equipment without a desk. When these devices are used in an unsupported sitting position without a backrest or desk, it results in poor sitting postures that increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Sitting for a long time can cause discomfort in the lower back, and maintaining the sitting posture for extended periods is reportedly associated with a reduction in the endurance of lower back muscles and an asymmetrical pattern of gluteal pressure.  

 Adopting an attitude of slumped sitting posture for a long time significantly reduces trunk muscle activity, causing muscle fatigue. Deep trunk muscle fatigue reduces the muscular support provided to the spine, which can cause motor coordination impairment and increased stress on ligaments & intervertebral discs. In other words, prolonged sitting and leisure may develop posture changes such as the flatness of the Lumbar-Lordosis curve and chronic muscle deconditioning, resulting in the development of LBP. 

 Some tips and tricks to avoid spine abnormalities due to excessive sitting include the following: 

• Dynamic seating behaviour: Any posture (slouching vs. hunching vs. holding erect) for an uninterrupted prolonged period will result in fatigue, discomfort, and pain. Dynamic seating behaviour pattern provides biological and physiological positive effects by reducing spinal loads & preventing fatigue due to activating an alternate group of muscles. Make sure you stand, stretch, and walk at least for a minute or two every half hour. Regular stretching will keep the joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons in an optimum position to be more comfortable, relaxed, and productive. 
• Exercises: Activities such as hamstring stretching, partial crunches, pelvis tilts, back extension exercises, wall sits, and knee-to-chest exercises are beneficial for improving the endurance of back muscles and thereby reducing the effects of back pain. 
• Try to work as close as possible to the desk with the upper arms parallel to the spine.  
• Adjust the chair height if the elbows are not at a 90ᵒ angle. 
• Make sure you can pass a clenched fist between the back of the calf and the front of the chair. 
• Using a cushion to support the lower back will be helpful to prevent slumping or slouching in the chair. 
• Adjust the desk height so the eyes are levelled at the centre of the computer screen. Also, ensure that the chair's armrest slightly lifts your arms at the shoulders.  
• Laptop accessories: Use of a separate keyboard, mouse and desktop, use of an intermittent standing desk or a dual monitor may be helpful to avoid long durations of improper seating habits