The Perfect Posture Does Not Exist

Written by: Sam Grozotis
You can work from home…
 
Unless you’re a key worker you probably have some sort of working from home set up. After scrolling through all of Instagram and having 3 cups of tea you might finally sit down to start your day. In these tough times it's important to keep the old bones going.
 
Here are some tips and tricks to make sure that rusty body stays as pain free as possible. 
 

1. The best posture is your next posture. 

The perfect posture no longer exists (I know right!). New evidence tells us that as long as we keep moving and don't get ‘locked’ into one position that is the most effective way to reduce our body pain when sitting and standing. 
 
2. There is no such thing as the ideal posture (continued). 
As mentioned above prolonged postures (especially a dead straight back/ chest out look) can actually make us more uncomfortable. It is absolutely ok and even more efficient to sometimes sit with a rounded back. Just keep moving. 
 
3. REGULAR exercise at a moderate level (and at a social distance) helps to keep our illness risk lower. 
The key to keeping exercise regular is to do something you enjoy. If you really don't like running (like myself) find some other way to get that cardio in and prepare those bodies for when the season is back. 
4. Workstation setup still plays a part. 
Making sure your screen isn’t too dark, your chair is comfortable and there isn't too much external noise (unavoidable with kids and I have no suggestion for this) will all help keep you pain free.
If you're lucky enough to have a sit to stand desk at home, USE IT. Or if you're on a laptop move it to the kitchen bench and stand for a while. Changing position every 30-40 mins will help you stay limber.
 
 
All of these positions are ok… just move regularly.
 
 
You have lower back pain because you have a weak core… and other lies.
 
Dispel the Myths
Most of us, at some point in our lives will experience back pain. In fact evidence suggests that around 80% of people will feel some sort of back pain.
There is a lot of poorly researched and frightening information out there so I'm here to bust some of those myths and reduce some of the fear people may have surrounding their back pain. 
Myth #1 
You have back pain because you have a weak core. 
Put simply, if this were true we would have fixed everybody's back pain by now. Evidence tells us that people with back pain actually tense their trunk muscles too much to try and ‘protect’ the area. Imagine tearing your hamstring and keeping it tensed all the time. This would not be helpful or pain reducing behaviour. Learning to relax your ‘core’ in many situations is far more beneficial. 
 
Myth #2
Getting older gives you back pain. 
The evidence really doesn't support this. Bone changes may happen but that does not mean you will get back pain. Evidence also says that our backs respond well to bending, twisting and lifting. So, as we get older it's actually more important to do these movements regularly to keep your back healthy. 
 
Myth #3
A scan will tell me why my back hurts.
It's a bit like taking a photo of your face and trying to figure out what you're thinking! A scan is helpful in about 1% of people with back pain. A scan often shows things like disc bulges, protrusions and degeneration.
HOWEVER, these are also found in people with NO PAIN so it’s not a reliable way to see what's going on. For the majority of people a diagnosis and treatment plan can be done just by an assessment. 

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