YOUR ROYAL TREATMENT
Two things; we apologize that we deprived you of our weekly healthy food. Secondly, while we were away, did you take time to adjust your positions deliberately? Or use comfortable seats?
If you need to remember or you are a new reader, check it out here.
We would choose to assume that everyone has visited a fashion designer in life. If we recall properly, we were always so intentional about how the fashion designer holds the waist side or the side of the trousers to give its fitting.
Rigghhhttt??
Then any misalignment due to the designer's negligence to the cloth pops like a stain and almost renders us from appreciating the beauty of the material or intended style. Perhaps the misalignment in the cloth hurts badly or we discard it. Either way, misalignments make us feel bad.
Now that we understand this, let us move over to our bodies. Our bodies are aligned (designed) in perfect forms and enable us to bear our weight. However, just like any misalignment to the cloth which is noticed and can hurt the owner, misalignment of the body; specifically the back - can cause discomfort followed by a cascade of events that may or may not lead to presentation in the hospital.
Therefore, what should we do? How can we prevent misalignment?
Stop underrating your posture.
There is a saying that good health is often underrated. Likewise, good posture.
Posture is an automatic and unconscious position we maintain for our comfort. This is why we find it easy to slouch in a chair because that position is comfortable for us. Another thing we should note about posture is that it is not about adhering to an ideal standard but how our bodies adapt and interact with different situations. Therefore, we can also say it is the way we choose to hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or lying.
This means that there is no bad posture, and what seems like a convenient posture for A is not convenient for B.
Hold on…we probably did not understand the previous paragraphs. Read through and allow the words to sink.
If there is no bad posture, what next?
We put the question to everyone. What next? If we say there is no bad posture, then what are we expected to do? Sit haphazardly? Forget that you are royalty? Or there is a secret agent within you waiting to explode?
Not…
With all these, there is still an expected alignment that the spine should take in any position. Any position (for this week) means that in sitting, standing, or lifting objects our spine should be aligned.
We would talk about that quickly, but first…it is story time…
Storytime…
We once had an encounter with a woman who came to a Physiotherapy clinic complaining of low back pain that radiates to her lower limbs.
For our non-medical readers, let us simply do this - once an individual tells you he/she feels a tingling sensation or numbness in the lower limbs, it is usually a result of an issue from the spine. Take note and refer the person immediately to a Physiotherapist.
She was asked about the onset of the pain. Lo and behold, it started when she heard a crack in her back when she bent her back to carry a load from the ground. She was a trader - so in an attempt to help a customer lift the load off the ground, her back snapped!
Then, the helter-skelter of using balm, shea butter, or neurogenic to relieve the pain starts; but all those would never take away the pain or the numbness.
This is not a means for us to start being overly conscious whenever we want to bend over. We just want to help you see that some positions trigger the unwanted in us.
What should be our disposition?
Now that we understand the basis, what do you think we are saying?
It is simple.
Ensure you always maintain the correct and proper alignment of your spine in any position you assume.
Yes, we understand that it is not feasible on some occasions, but in all, we do, choose an erect spine.
Therefore, in sitting,
Always ensure your back is well supported on a chair with full and proper back support. If not, you could place a pillow on your lower back to help you as well. You can check out the previous posts on how to sit correctly.
In standing,
Stand with your feet apart and weight mostly on the balls of your feet.
Stand up straight and tall with your shoulders back and stomach in; and your arms hanging down.
Indeed, this position might not be convenient, the point is to ensure we do not maintain that improper position for too long.
Finally, in lifting or dropping objects (with the load in front of you)
Ensure you lift the load with the aid of your knees, not your back.
Yes! You read right, but what do we mean?
Most of the time, we are quick to bend over to pick up an item from the ground, no matter how little. That act can cause a lot of damage to our spine.
This is why we advise that to pick up an object, bend with your knees; like you are squatting.
Pick up the object gently, with your back still straight, and your hand stretched out to lift the object from off the ground or drop it to the ground.
Try this now and let us know how it felt.
However, if the load is a lot for you to properly lift in that position, it is advisable to reach someone else to help lift the object.
Does this work? Does it matter?
We have asked ourselves this question as well and in fact, it does matter. Many of us have grown up assuming the wrong positions. It is understandable and might be difficult to adjust, but if we choose to start now, and always correct ourselves when we remember, we are on the right track.
This is similar to one of our previous posts - You are royalty, act like one; because the same way royals carry themselves in dignity and comport themselves, is how we are expected to care for our body.
It is a process, but if you start now, it is one step toward having a healthier back and overall having an improved quality of health.
Start today and keep the Physiotherapist away tomorrow.
For more inquiries, contact us @ thephysiodiary@gmail.com
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