Advice for Everyday Living

When leading a busy lifestyle, the basic warning signs of back problems can go unnoticed. Of course, no one is immune from back pain but chiropractors from the British Chiropractic Association have some simple advice to help.

Many BCA chiropractors are asked by their patients about the ideal posture and the general guidance they give is:

• There is no such thing as a ‘perfect posture’; the key is to avoid remaining in positions that cause discomfort, in other words, finding positions to sit, stand and sleep that are comfortable and this will be different for each person. For the many peyople that report a link between certain positions and back or neck pain, they should be encouraged to vary their posture throughout the day and avoid those positions that cause discomfort. For those people who find that sitting for too long does cause them backache, performing a short series of movements through the day such as ‘Straighten Up UK’ can help to keep you active and reduce this. If the pain persists then see a qualified person such as your local chiropractor to assess and help you start moving again without pain.

The British Chiropractic Association has advice on different aspects everyday life. Many titles will include an advice video and all have a downloadable advice sheet.

• Lifting and Carrying
• Buying a bed/sleeping
• Computer Posture
• Driving
• Gardening

• DIY
• Bags
• Commuting
• Buying a Bra

• Skiing
• Bank Holidays
• Golf
• Holiday Travel

• Pregnancy Posture
• Parents’ Posture Outdoors
• Parents’ Posture Indoors
• General Advice

Lifting and Carrying

Face the direction in which you want to carry the weight  and always lift using a relaxed, straight back. Make sure your legs are at least your hips’ width apart with the knees bent. Keep your head and shoulders directly above your waist  and keep the weight you are carrying as close to you as possible – avoid twisting. For more tips and information, view the video to the right or …

Buying a bed/sleeping

Try and adopt a sleeping position which creates less  physical stress on the back first thing in the morning.  For example, lay on your side and not on your front with  your neck twisted. When you wake up, try some gentle stretches, such as drawing your knees to your chest,  before getting out of bed. For more tips and information, view the video to the right or …

Sitting at a Computer

Always take the time to adjust your chair, particularly if  you share your computer with others. Your seat should  be adjusted so that your feet are flat on the ground, your knees bent, but with a slope from your hips to your knees.  You should end up with your hips higher than your knees  and your eyes level with the top of the computer screen.  You may need to put the screen on a stand or even on a  ream of paper to bring it to the right height. For more tips and information, view the video to the right or …

Driving

If you share a car, make sure the seat position is adjusted to suit you each time you get in. The back of the seat should be set slightly backwards, so that it feels natural and your elbows should be at a comfortable and relaxed angle for driving. For more tips and information, view the video to the right or …

Gardening

Gardening  is  like  any  other  exercise;  you  need  to  warm  up  first. Don’t  go  straight  into  heavy  garden  work;  start  off  with  lighter  jobs  as  this  will  lessen  the  chance  of  muscle strain. For more tips and information, view the video to the right or …

DIY

If you need to use a ladder, make sure you are always  facing it and move the ladder regularly, rather than leaning  to reach your goal. Always keep your shoulders, hips and knees pointing in the same direction. For more tips and information, view the video to the right or …

Bags

The lighter you keep your bag the better, especially if you have to carry it about all day. Check the contents of your bag(s) each day and only carry those items you need for the day ahead – it is surprising how many people carry unnecessary weight in their bags. For more tips and information …

Commuting

If you mainly stand on your commute, make sure you wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold onto a rail comfortably, don’t over stretch. For more tips and information …

Buying a Bra

Bras are like suspension bridges, you need a well engineered bra so your shoulders don’t take all of the strain and end up doing all of the work; spreading the load is important. Bras that don’t fit will affect the shoulders and chest and may cause back pain as you get older. It is so important to make sure a bra gives you enough support as possible.

Skiing

Warm up before strenuous skiing.  Start off gently rather than heading first for the black runs and round the day off with a stretch. Take plenty of breaks; overexertion will ruin your holiday, moderate the length of skiing time and listen to your body.

Bank Holidays

Bank holidays are a time for relaxation, time with friends and family at home or away as well as the opportunity to kick-off some of those DIY and garden projects.

Whether travelling, undertaking DIY projects, gardening or just lazing about, the British Chiropractic Association has some great tips to help avoid any problems with your back and posture.

Golf

The lower back, shoulders and wrists are the most obvious joints at risk for golfers through the repetitive nature of the golf swing, but carrying a golf bag can also place an  enormous  strain  on  your  neck.

Holiday Travel

However you are travelling, before you go choose your suitcase wisely, buy the lightest case possible that has wheels; hard cases tend to weigh quite a lot before you even start to fill them.  If possible, take two light suitcases rather than one, so you can distribute the weight more evenly.

Pregnancy Posture

Women experience an increase in lumbar curving during pregnancy due to the increased weight being carried out in front. This puts more pressure on some of the joints of the spine, causing discomfort and, for some women, pain.

Parents’ Posture Outdoors

A pushchair or pram with adjustable height settings is ideal, as it can be moved to suit your own height and that of anyone else who will be pushing it. You should be able to walk upright with a straight spine and hands resting at a comfortable height.

Parents’ Posture Indoors

The less you have to lift and lean to put your child into the cot, the better. A 5kg weight at your chest equates to five times that amount at arms length so placing your child in the cot, whilst keeping them as close as possible to you, is best for your back.

General Advice

A lack of exercise is your worst enemy. Regular exercise is essential as the fitter you are, the less likely you are to injure yourself. Simple activities such as stretching and shoulder shrugging can all help to keep your back in line. Do not sit for prolonged periods.