|
 Back Pain
Often times back pain is created by a rotation in the pelvis. The most common rotation is towards the right. This causes the left hip to be higher in the back and all the muscles on that side to be shortened and tense. A common cause of this rotation is sleeping on your left side with the right hip rotated forward so your knee and lower leg can rest on the mattress. This can be avoided by simply sleeping with your knees stacked one on top of the other and a small pillow between your knees. Avoid sitting with one knee crossed over the other as this also rotates the pelvis. Often people will sleep with their pelvis rotated and then sit at a desk all day with their legs cross, rotating the pelvis in the same direction.
With a rotated pelvis there is often a misalignment of the sacral iliac joint, this is where the hip bone meets the sacrum in the back of the body. This joint is meant to move slightly with each step. When this movement is prevented due to the rotation, the muscles splint around the joint and there is often a significant knot just below the hip bone at the top of the buttock. This tension often affects the muscles of the low back and sometimes as far up as the lower ribs.
With the muscles shortened on one side due to a high hip and a rotated pelvis, the spine angles off to the opposite side and then farther up the body, there is a correction. Without this correction we would be seriously tilted to one side. The correction creates a misalignment of the vertebrae and the muscles splint around the effected area creating pain, tension and usually sizable knots. This is a very common cause of midback pain.
Sitting at a desk:
Sit all the way back in your chair (you may have to move your chair forward to reach your desk)
The height of the chair is such that there is a 90 degree angle at the knee.
Your thigh should be level.
Make sure your ankle is directly under your knee
The sides of your feet should be parallel. This will make your toes point inward slightly.
Press down slightly with your big toes and the ball of your foot.
If done correctly your pelvis should not be rotated and you should be able to feel both “sits” bones against your chair.
The height of the desk should be such that neither of your shoulders needs to be raised to reach either your mouse or the top of your desk.
Sleeping Positions:
The best position in which to sleep is on your back with a firm king sized pillow between your knees. If you sleep on your back without this pillow you probably have or will have low back pain as it puts a significant strain on your low back. Put a very small neck pillow under your neck so it just supports the curve.
Many people cannot sleep on their back. If you sleep on your side, make sure your knees are stacked and place a small pillow between your knees. The elbow that is next to the mattress should be as close to your body as possible. It should NOT be more than 90 degrees from your body as this puts a strain on the shoulder joint. The small curve on the side of the neck should be gently supported with a small neck pillow.
You can find neck pillows made of a variety of substances on the internet. You can also easily make one yourself by sewing a small sleeve 8”x5” and filling it 2/3rds full with popping corn. Then simply sew the end. This can also be micro waved for 2-2.5 minutes and used as a hot pack.
Do not sleep on your stomach. As a habitual sleeping position it creates neck, shoulder and hip problems.
|
Back Pain
