December 2008

Correct Posture Reduces Back Pain!

Back pain is one of the most common reasons why people in the UK visit their doctors. A major cause of back pain is bad posture but, ironically, a good posture is one of the simplest and most important ways to keep your back and spine healthy. Here local Chiropractors from The Fulham Clinic, SW6 and SE1 in London offers essential advice on maintaining correct posture. 

 In order to maintain a correct posture, each part of the body needs to be aligned with the neighbouring parts so that all parts are stable and supported. For example, when standing we should be able to draw a straight line from our earlobe, through to the shoulder, hip and knee, and then to the middle of the ankle.

Although we spend much of the day sitting down, we position ourselves in several ways throughout the day such as sitting, standing, bending and lying down, so it is vital to have a correct posture in each position for good back support, which will result in less back pain.

When changing from one position to the next, we need to ensure that our posture is adjusted carefully. Once we are able to correct bad postural tendencies, these changes become habitual and need very little effort to maintain.

When you work at a desk or computer, it is important to adapt your surroundings to help ensure a healthy posture.  Reading or writing may cause neck and shoulder strain. A writing wedge or book support can prevent this strain. Your keyboard and monitor should be directly in front of you so that you are not rotating your neck or low back, and the monitor should be at eye level.

 When typing, your fingers should rest on the keyboard with your wrists straight, elbows bent at 90 degrees and shoulders relaxed as shown below. Always take a break after 30-40 minutes of intense work, and change your activity completely.

Back pain often begins in childhood, as a result of slouching when sitting in front of the television or at school desks, continuing into adulthood when we sit in front of computers and laptops. Sitting down continuously for one hour or more, combined with inactivity, can aggravate poor posture, making pain a likely consequence.

To prevent some of the pain from a poor posture while undertaking desk work, perform the following simple exercise regularly: For 20-30 seconds each time, gently roll your shoulders back and down (by squeezing shoulder blades together), rotate your hands outward and tuck in your chin. 

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For further information please contact – The Fulham Clinic for

Your FREE posture check –

SW6 - 020 7471 0499 or SE1- 020 7234 0664