How can we take care of our spine every day? What should we do when the pain intensifies and bothers us more and more often? These questions are answered by Karolina Hertman, a physiotherapist at Przychodnia Starzyńskiego Rehabilitacja Karolina Hertman.

Why does sitting cause back pain?

Spending a lot of time sitting has become a sign of our times. We sit while watching television, reading books, meeting friends, and also while performing our professional duties. There would be nothing wrong with this if our everyday functioning were not “subordinated” to this particular activity. Does that sound controversial? Only seemingly so. We sit for too long (even several hours a day), too often, and, above all, we do it incorrectly.

– It can be said that we were not created to sit. It is a forced position that can place a great deal of strain on certain organs, especially our spine – comments Karolina Hertman. – Going further, we can say that we are unable to sit completely correctly, although there are ways to ensure that this situation affects our spine negatively as little as possible. In everyday life, however, we do not make things easier for ourselves. People who have to spend long hours at a computer in particular tend to make many mistakes. These include, among other things, pushing the head or buttocks too far forward while sitting, slouching, or sitting without support. During many hours of work, we naturally look for the most comfortable position for us, but we should remember that incorrect body positioning excessively burdens the spine and, consequently, may lead to pain and, in the longer term, degenerative problems. Moreover, after spending many hours sitting at work, we often return home and lead a sedentary lifestyle again. Meanwhile, movement is the foundation of health, not only in the context of our spine – adds the physiotherapist.

How to take care of your spine every day?

Every activity we perform places a certain load on the spine, with the lumbar region (the lowest section of the spine) being particularly overloaded. To understand how a sitting position affects our spine, it is worth looking at a few figures:

  • 25–75 kg – this is the force acting on our spine while lying down (the lower value means lying on the back, while the higher value means lying on the side)
  • 100–200 kg – this is the load felt by our spine when we stand (the lower value means a correct, upright posture, while the higher value means standing in a strongly bent position)
  • 140–275 kg – these values indicate the load on our spine while sitting (the lower value means an upright sitting position, while the highest value – as much as 275 kg – means a strongly bent sitting position)

All right! But what if we are forced to perform our daily duties almost exclusively in a sitting position? How can we minimize the negative effects of prolonged sitting?

– Doctors, office workers, journalists, and clerks are just a few of the professions in which at least some duties are performed while sitting – says Karolina Hertman. – This does not mean, however, that we should fully accept the situation. We have many ways to relieve our spine. First, we should learn how to rest. This means that at least once an hour we should get up from our workstation and, for example, walk around the office, make coffee, or exchange a few words with a colleague – of course, while standing. Second, it is important to spend our free time actively after a day spent sitting. After returning home, many people “collapse” in front of the television, giving up physical activity, which offers many health benefits, including benefits for our spine. Moreover, when we have to sit, we should do so as correctly as possible. Proper posture and a suitably prepared workstation are essential for protecting our spine from pain. Proper posture includes, among other things, keeping the knee, hip, and elbow joints at 90-degree angles, comfortably supporting the curves of the spine against the chair back (especially the lumbar and thoracic regions), and keeping the head aligned with the body (or slightly retracted). A workstation should include, among other things, an adjustable chair that allows us to position our body correctly, and a computer set at eye level (so as to prevent involuntary lowering or tilting of the head) – adds the physiotherapist.

When the pain is too severe

Unfortunately, proper prevention does not always protect us from the onset and progression of a problem (for example, in the case of obesity, which places strain on our spine). If we experience constant pain that makes everyday functioning difficult, a visit to a specialist is essential.

– Treatment of chronic pain or degenerative changes may include physical therapy treatments and corrective exercises, which, to produce the desired results, should be conducted under the supervision of a physiotherapist – suggests the physiotherapist. – Electrotherapy treatments can be successfully used here (they will have an analgesic and nourishing effect on the tissue), as can warming heat treatments (mud and paraffin packs – they have an anti-inflammatory effect, especially mud packs, as well as a relaxing effect), ultrasound, which improves tissue blood circulation through micromassage and accelerates regeneration, and laser therapy, which significantly shortens the tissue-healing process. In addition, pharmacological painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are also used as supportive treatment. In extreme cases, a surgical procedure may be necessary – explains Karolina Hertman.

For people who want to avoid surgical intervention, there is another solution: magnetic resonance therapy. It is commonly associated with diagnostics, but few people know that it is also effectively used to treat conditions such as joint degeneration, back pain, and sports injuries. This refers to magnetic resonance therapy using the MBST® system, which has a positive effect on impaired cell functions and their regeneration. The therapy is painless and non-invasive. The therapy device generates an electromagnetic field and radio waves of an appropriate frequency. This creates resonance in the treated area. The energy supplied is transferred to the surrounding tissue and accelerates metabolic and biophysical processes in the body. As a result, it actively stimulates cells, enabling significant tissue regeneration. The therapy can increase the volume and quality of cartilage and bone tissue and bring about rapid pain reduction. Its duration is relatively short – usually 5, 7, or 9 hours of therapy – depending on the stage or type of the condition or disease.

All the physiotherapy treatments mentioned above can be performed at Przychodnia Starzyńskiego Rehabilitacja, where every patient will receive professional and meticulous care from a highly experienced physiotherapist. Information about the clinic’s opening hours and treatment price list can be found on our fan page @PrzychodniaStarzynskiegoRehabilitacja

More information about magnetic resonance therapy can be found at: www.mbst-terapia.pl.