19 pics of dads who said they didn't want a dogby JULIE WHELDON, Science CorrespondentLast updated at 22:00 27 November 2006For generations office workers have all been told to sit up straight at their desks to try to avoid getting a bad back.But now that advice may have to be ignored after scientists have found that sitting bolt upright may actually make back problems worse.Researchers have found that an erect posture puts too much strain on the spine and can trigger chronic pain.Instead of sitting with your back at right angles to your legs, you should instead lean backwards until you reach an angle of 135 degrees.Experts are therefore advising people who spend long hours sitting at a desk to alter their office chairs to a more relaxed position.They believe this may be the best way to prevent back pain, which is thought to be affecting a third of Britons at any one time.The new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America involved 22 patients from the Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, who had no history of back pain or surgery.
Each was given a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan while they sat in three positions - slouching forward, sitting up straight or leaning slightly backwards while their feet remained on the floor.The scientists then measured their angles of their spines and movement in the discs of the back for each sitting position.They found that disc movement - which occurs when strain is placed on the back and can cause the disks to end up out of line - occurred more when people sat upright than in the other two positions.It was least pronounced when people leant backwards to an angle of 135 degrees.The slouch position appeared to put the greatest wear and tear on the lowest two spinal levels.Lead researcher Dr Waseem Bashir, of the University of Alberta Hospital in Canada, said: "We were not created to sit down for long hours but somehow modern life requires the vast majority of the global population to work in a seated position."Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness."
A 135 degree body-thigh sitting posture was demonstrated to be the best biomechanical sitting position as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most people consider normal."Based on this, he urged people to stave off future back problems by correcting their posture and finding a chair that allow them to lean back to 135 degrees while they work."This may be all that is necessary to prevent back pain, rather than trying to cure pain that has occurred over the long term due to bad postures," he said."Employers could also reduce problems by providing their staff with more appropriate seating thereby saving on the cost of long work hours."Earlier this year the British Chiropractic Association warned that office work is actually the worst occupation for our backs.They warned that rather than lifting and carrying, it is sitting at a desk all day that is most likely to trigger painful twinges.Rishi Loatey of the British Chiropractic Association said: "One in three people suffer from lower back pain and to sit for long periods of time certainly contributes to this, as our bodies are not designed to be so sedentary. "
Sitting increases the pressure in the disc of the lower back - there is six times more pressure in the disc of the lower back when a person is sitting compared to when they are lying down."The IP address used for your Internet connection is part of a subnet that has been blocked from access to PubMed Central. Addresses across the entire subnet were used to download content in bulk, in violation of the terms of the PMC Copyright Notice. Use of PMC is free, but must comply with the terms of the Copyright Notice on the PMC site. For additional information, or to request that your IP address be unblocked, For requests to be unblocked, you must include all of the information in the box above in your message. Your back is aching, and it’s no wonder! You spend three-quarters of your day either sitting at the office or on a couch watching TV. But you don’t have to just grimace and bear chronic lower back pain. Proper posture, a good office chair and some simple lifestyle changes can bring relief...
How much time do you spend sitting? If you’re like most desk jockeys, it’s as much as 40 hours a week at work. So if your office chair just isn’t right, your back health will suffer, leaving you with an achy spine, sore shoulders or stiff neck. “When a chair doesn’t support your spine, your muscles have to work harder, and you’ll feel fatigued at the end of the day,” explains Paul Cooke, M.D., a physiatrist (rehabilitation specialist) at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. After a while, the vertebrae in your lower back, known as your lumbar, won’t be able to maintain spinal alignment. That puts more stress on discs and joints, leading to more pain, he says.Later, when you settle into your couch to watch TV, you may be worsening back pain. That’s because soft cushions offer even less lumbar back support than office chairs do. But your back health doesn’t have to suffer from long hours behind a desk and on spongy sofas.
We asked back doctors and physical therapists for tips to finding the best office chair, relieving pain and even preventing varicose veins. Sit RightLumbar back support: The most important function of an office chair is to maintain proper curvature of your lumbar spine, Dr. Cooke says. Go Chair ShoppingIn the market for a new office chair? Luxury office chairs offer good support, says Dr. Cooke. Some also offer woven mesh seats for better air circulation, which helps keep the skin cool, he says. But you don’t have to buy a top-of-the-line chair to get good lumbar back support. Recline: When working at your computer, you probably sit upright. But if you’re reading, talking on the phone or conducting a meeting, you can lean back. “A slightly reclined position relieves pressure on the spine,” Dr. Cooke says. Adjustable seatback: For upper-back support, the chair should be high and wide enough for your shoulder blades to rest on, Dr. Cooke says.
Protecting Your Back at HomeAvoid the sofa. It’s not the best choice for sitting for long periods of time, says Dr. Cooke. “Most sofas don’t offer much lumbar back support, and there’s a tendency to slouch.” Instead, use a recliner or an easy chair with back support.Resist the urge to slump down in your chair during a “Real Housewives” TV marathon. “Have your feet on the ground,” Dr. Cooke says. “And sit far enough back in the chair so your seat makes contact with your thigh muscles.Yep, that La-Z-Boy is actually good for you. There’s less strain on your lumbar discs when you’re in a reclined position, and having your legs slightly elevated can improve blood flow, Dr. Cooke says. Expensive recliners, advertised as “stressless” or “back-friendly,” are fine, he says, but not necessary. “Any comfortable recliner is good,” he says – just make sure it supplies some lumbar back support. Use pillows as props. Since most easy chairs don’t have lumbar support for your lower back, “use a pillow or lumbar roll to maintain curvature,” Dr. Cooke says.