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The Posture Theory
and Chronic Back and Neck Pain
Postural Back Pain
There are many
different causes and types of back pain. Some are due to obvious
injuries or disease of the spine. However, by far the most common
cause is poor posture, and the condition is called 'postural
back pain'. The poor posture may result from slouching, or from
a forward curvature of the upper spine known as hunchback or
kyphosis, and all of those things tend to produce round shoulders
where the the head and shoulders are pushed forward and downwards.
The back pain occurs because that poor posture puts unnatural,
excessive and prolonged strain on the muscles, ligaments, discs,
and nerves of the spine. The most significant feature of this
pain is that there is no evidence of disease on x-rays or other
tests and therefore patients are often misdiagnosed as having
pain which is imaginary, trivial, psychosomatic or 'all in the
mind'. It is important to understand the real cause of these
pains in order to treat them appropriately and prevent the development
of injury or disease.
In the past there
have been attempts to cure back pain by improving posture with
the military stance which involves throwing the head and shoulders
back, and throwing the chest out, and pulling the chin and stomach
in, and patients have been advised to sit in chairs which have
straight backs and lay on hard flat beds. However that advice
overlooked the fact that the normal human spine has slight curves
in the neck and lumbar regions which give shock absorbing qualities
to the human frame, so that by straightening the spine unnaturally
and excessively more problems were caused than were cured. Therefore
in order to cure problems such as back pain it is important to
improve posture in a manner which retains the normal slight curves.
The following methods
can assist in relieving, managing, or curing postural back pains
which include neck pain, lower back pain, and loin pain (pain
in the mid back, or kidney region).
1. The
Alexander Technique involves improving posture by raising the
head so that the spine straightens below. When the spine has
reached a normal position the person then relaxes their spinal
muscles and maintains their posture by balancing their head on
their spine. By balancing the head and relaxing the muscles,
there is no strain on the spine and the cause of the back pain
is removed, and as long as there has been no severe damage such
as disc rupture or arthritis, the pain can be relieved and in
many cases cured.
2. When sitting the person should use
chairs and desks which assist in maintaining the natural spinal
shape. Therefore the height of the seat of the chair should match
the height of the knees so that the person can place their feet
on the ground and give slight support from their feet. The height
of the desk should be such that the person can read and write
by lowering their eye line without having to lean forward, and
if necessary they should lean forward from the hips rather than
by slouching at the midriff. The back of the chair should have
a slight curve in the lumbar area to maintain the slight lumbar
curve, and the back rest should be slightly inclined backwards
so that when the person sits in the chair they can sway back
and forth to maintain and establish a balanced position for their
spine, and so that they can use it for support if they lean back.
Where chairs are designed with an additional fully hinged lay
back feature the chair should be suitably padded as well.
A person who works
an 8 hour day at a desk should get up and move about as often
as possible or for 10 minutes of each hour to relieve strain
on the spine and to prevent persistent and excessive compression
of the intervertebral discs.
3. When laying down the person should
use a bed that is flat, but has a surface which is soft enough
to absorb the weight of the heavy protruding parts of the back.
As the back of the heels, hips, and shoulders sink into the mattress
the lumbar region comes into contact with the bed and is supported.
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Mechanical Back
Pain Cure
for treating upper
back pain, lower back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and arm
pain.
Postural back pain
occurs because of the chronic or repetitive mechanical strain
placed on the spine by poor posture. However there are other
factors which place mechanical strain on the spine which, when
removed, can lead to relief or cure of the pain.This pain also
exists in the absence of any evidence of spinal disease, because
there is no disease. The condition is called mechanical back
pain. The causes and cures of mechanical back pain are listed
below.
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Cause |
Cure |
| 1. Sideways
curvature of the spine (Scoliosis). This can produce back and
shoulder pain, and arm pain on the left or right side depending
on which way the spine curves. The pain can be in the muscle
between the neck and shoulder bone, and, or in the upper arm,
and or in the muscles over the shoulder blade. |
The
Alexander Technique |
| 2. Having
one leg longer than the other. This can cause back pain and hip
pain. |
Shoe
inserts which equalise leg height |
| 3. Carrying a wallet in the back trouser pocket and
then sitting in a chair; the presence of the wallet raises one
hip and twists the spine. |
Remove the
wallet from the back trouser pocket before sitting down. |
| 4. Regularly
carrying heavy items such as satchels in one arm; this puts sideways
strain on the spine. This can cause back and shoulder pain and
hip pain. |
Only
keep essential and light items in the satchel or use knapsacks. |
| 5. Having
a keyboard in front of the computer and the mouse pad alongside
of the screen which requires repetitive stretching forward with
one arm to use the mouse. This places sideways and rotational
strain on the spine. This can cause back, neck, shoulder, and
upper arm pain. |
The
Alexander Technique, and keep the mouse pad in a position where
it is not necessary to stretch forward, or, if possible, alternatively
use the left arm until the pain in the right arm subsides. |
| 6. Obesity;
Overweight people tend to get a pot belly or a beer gut and as
the abdomen protrudes forwards the weight drags the lower spine
forward and produces a compensatury curve in the neck. This can
cause lower back pain and neck pain. |
Losing
weight often results in relieving or curing the neck and back
pains. |
| 7. As
the womb becomes larger with advancing pregnancy the weight drags
the lower back forward and produces similar back pains to those
of obesity. |
The
woman should rest to take the weight off their spine, and the
lower back pain usually subsides after giving birth. |
| 8. Wearing
high heel shoes puts mechanical strain on the spine by altering
its shape. The hips are thrown upwards and back, the lower back
is thrown forward, and the upper shoulders tend to slouch. |
It is
best not to wear high heel shoes or to only wear them for a few
hours each day, and if they cause back pain they should not be
worn at all. As long as they have not caused permanent change
in the shape of the spine a change to wearing flat shoes can
relieve the back ache. |
| 9.
Sleeping on spring mattresses that sag like a hammock are likely
to result in C-shaped curves of the spine, and mattresses that
are too hard or too soft are likely to cause alterations in the
natural curves of the spine. |
The mattress should
be flat, and firm enough to absorb the weight of the shoulders
and hips so that the spine remains in it's normal alignment.
The pillow should be soft enough to absorb the weight ot the
head without flattening, or in general, so that it feels comfortable,
particularly for the neck. |
| 10.
Sitting in chairs that are too high, or that have a back rest
that is too straight, or at too great an angle, or where the
base inclines downward at an angle can alter the mechanical strains
on the spine. |
The chair should
be the correct height for your legs and back, with the base horizontal
and the back rest slightly curved to match the natural curve
of a normal spine. Resting in properly shaped recliner chairs
can be beneficial. |
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