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This is such bullshit. The problem with all forms of sitting for long periods is that (without corrective exercise) your spinal muscles waste away. This is whe
by anentropic 13y ago
This is such bullshit. The problem with all forms of sitting for long periods is that (without corrective exercise) your spinal muscles waste away.
This is where the pain comes from - your spine is not supporting itself any more and the discs become compressed and misaligned and the muscles more easily strained.
In this context, sitting in a more relaxed position where "less strain is placed on the spinal disks and associated muscles and tendons" might temporarily avoid some of the pain from strained muscles but is going to make the problem worse in the long run.
To get away from this cycle of back pain you need to do one thing: targeted exercise to build up the atrophied muscles.
Personally I have found that a more 'active' (i.e. straight upright) sitting position also helps, now that my back is fit enough to cope with this.
'Ergonomic' office chairs like the Herman Miller seem to make the problem worse for me, I believe because they are all designed with the misguided notion that they should support your back for you.
It is well known that bones, joints and muscles all need loading and working in order to stay healthy (for example: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteoporosis-exercise http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteoporosis-exercis...)
If any of you are suffering from back problems and are lucky enough to live in Europe near one of these gyms http://www.kieser-training.com http://www.kieser-training.com I highly recommend them (there are others with similar programme) ...I'm not associated in any way but they have made a massive improvement to my life.
The suggestion that 'strain' on 'muscles and tendons' is bad for your back is a dangerous one IMHO ...yes this is why you have pain right now, but the answer is to strengthen the back so the muscles can cope, not to use the muscles even less!
- michaelgrafl 13y agoI absolutely agree. I've been working at a desk for about nine months now and I am dying of back pain. Out of all the various back exercises one can find on the Internet, which ones would you recommend for starters?
- olegious 13y agoTry the simple back bridge progressions in the "convict conditioning" book. Dumb name, but a solid approach to exercising without a fun and a great section on back exercises.
- cylinder 13y agoMy spine has become crooked since I stopped lifting for a while, it's actually quite pathetic. The only thing that sorts it out and relieves the pain is core and lower back exercises. Fortunately these are the most accessible exercises: you don't need machines or weights. One thing I like to do is go to the gym and dangle from the tall pull-up bars, completely relax my muscles and let my spine decompress and hang. Then, I do a rowing/pedaling motion with my legs while I dangle, as well as do high kicks. I have to keep doing it, though, if I don't go every alternating day my back will be crooked and painful once again.
- nascro 13y agoI do the same thing (hang from the pull-up bars). It seems to sort things out, but I get light-headed nearly every time.
- memracom 13y agoI walk a lot to and from work (choose further stations if neccessary) and I carry a backpack that has a laptop and one or two heavy books so that my body muscles have some balancing work to do. It works. I only had back pain once when I rented a furnished apartment with soft comfy furniture. Once I realized that the furniture was bad, I added some pillows to give lumbar support, and spent a few days standing to watch TV. Of course I sleep on a thin futon and mostly sit on wooden chairs or directors chairs. But I do think the walking is essential to building up muscle strength to begin with. Unless you want to lift free weights...