Stand in front of a full-length mirror and turn to your side, to reveal your profile.
Ideally, you should see your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles aligned.

If these four points do not form a straight or almost straight line, chances are you will develop lower back pain in the upcoming months or years. And you are not alone.

Springtime
The spine works as a spring, absorbing pressure and shocks as you walk or remain seated. However, when the spine bends beyond its ideal posture, this natural spring effect diminishes or works against its intended job.

For instance, some people have a tendency to lean the torso forward, causing strain in the neck. When your shoulders, hips and knees misalign, your face looks slightly downwards. Thus, to level the sight, you need to lift the nose, compressing the back of your neck. Meanwhile, to recover balance, your hips have to move backwards; conversely, if you keep your feet in the same place, the knees move to the front for the same reason. The result is a profile somewhat similar to an S shape.

In America, where people can hardly do without a car, more than half the population suffer from pain. Of these unfortunate souls, 25% reported pain in the back. Pain in the knees and headaches follow (12% and 9%, respectively). Male drivers aged between 30 and 49 have double the risk of back injuries and chronic pain. Why? Because they are getting older, yet remain active.

Since most of the time you remain seated, an ergonomic seat would suffice to prevent injuries and bad posture; but, unfortunately, most seats are poorly designed:

•    Most seats in cars, planes and long distance busses cause the reverse spring effect. Badly designed or badly positioned seats force torsos to lean backwards. If you do not have a back support yet, place the back of your seat as near to the plumb line as possible. An upright seat may not feel too comfortable at first, but it surely provides a healthier support.

•    Tall people often have to seat with their knees way higher than their hips, which is exactly the opposite of a good seating posture. Whenever possible, keep your knees below the level of the thighs. To do so, put something between the seat and your thighs or, better yet, set the seat higher.

However, more often than not, the problem lies with bad posture. Sometimes, an ergonomic design is not used in the right way:

•    Inexpert drivers face a common seat-related problem. As they release the clutch pedal with the left foot, they show a tendency to shift the center of mass to the other thigh. Just as your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles should ideally align together, the line connecting shoulders should remain as parallel to the hips as possible for an ergonomically correct posture. When these lines are not parallel, the vertebras in the spine suffer unnecessary compression.

Take the time to watch yourself in a full-length mirror. For your back’s sake, remember these tips on ergonomics and get yourself the proper car seat support.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source.

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Many people may not know this, but back injuries rank among the top of the list in work and leisure related injuries.  A back injury can result in lost time from work, as well as a lengthy recuperation, which may or may not be covered by your health insurance.  The point is that back injuries are not only costly in terms of money and time loss, but they can also be physically nagging injuries, that can stay with a person for years on end.  But by taking the right measures now, by exercising, having better posture, and even buying a posture and back support system, you will be on the way to better overall back health, and fewer work related injuries.

It is said that 25% of all occupational injuries result from back injuries.  This leads to missed days of work, less productivity, and possibly a nagging injury for years to come.  Prolonged back pain can not only be a nuisance, but could also become debilitating if left for too long untreated.  This may result in a lack of physical activity, continuous nagging pain, and even more missed days from work.  A single traumatic event might be the cause of your back pain, like a car accident or a really bad fall.  But your back pain might be the result of years of spine related injuries due to poor work posture, repeated activities of lifting heavy objects improperly, or even extended periods of time sitting or standing.

However, there are plenty of preventative measures you can take to avoid back injuries in the workplace. One recommendation for something which is useful in preventing further back injuries is purchasing a back support.  Back supports work as a back brace that helps to take away stress from the lower back, and equally distribute pressure over the entire back area.  They can also help you to maintain better posture, take away strain on your spine, and help to prevent future back injuries.

While choosing a back support system for yourself, check for a design that will not only conform to your body, but ensure a comfortable fit.  One of the most important components you want to look for in a back support system is durability.  If the back support is cheaply made with inferior bands and closures, this system will only break down sooner, and cause you further discomfort and money in the long term.  Shop around, and ask questions to find the best deal, and do your research.  With the right preparation you will be able to find the proper back support system to fit your back care needs.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source.

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Many people all over the world suffer from back pain, primarily because they do not receive the proper back support.  The link between proper back support and back pain may be well documented, but many people do not consider that it may be their pillow what is causing their back problems.  Poor posture, exhaustion and fatigue are usually some common causes of back pain, but many simply never realize that their pillow might be the one to blame.   Many pillows today do not even come close to offering the proper neck and back support that the body needs to stay in proper alignment.  Using the wrong pillow can give you a sore neck, sore back, can bring your body out of alignment, and can ruin your posture.

However, there are a number of specially designed pillows on the market, which can offer you the proper spine support, and work to decrease your back pain.  The average pillow is not usually designed with the health of your back in mind.  Most pillows are made of foam, or fiber, or a combination of cotton or feathers.  Most pillows are designed specifically for comfort, but are usually not designed for optimal spine, or back health.  This is why in recent years we have seen a number of new specially designed pillows become available, that are specifically designed for the optimum health of your back and spine.

One of these pillows is known as a lumbar pillow.  A lumbar pillow is a U-shaped or rectangular pillow, designed for treating back and spine health.  This is a back pillow used to fill as a cushion created between your spine and the chair.  People can use it at work, while driving, even on an airplane, to give you that extra posture and back support it so desperately needs.  This can be used in conjunction with a specialty neck support pillow, to provide optimum back relief.

Another popular pillow designed for back support is the donut pillow.  The donut pillow serves as a relief to people who have tailbone problems, and other back concerns.  The donut pillow’s shape is as it sounds, being a circular pillow with a whole in the middle.  The central hole absorbs the gravitational force from your neck to the pillow, allowing relief for the tailbone, not to mention better alignment of the spine.  The donut pillow offers relief from pain, better alignment and overall better back health.

When you’re searching for your next pillow and you want to pick one based on comfort and appeal, you may want to think again.  Your pillow can have profound effects on your posture, back health, alignment of your body and neck.  Before buying your next pillow make sure you take a second look, and choose a pillow that’s not only comfortable but good for your spine and back as well.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

People who have suffered with back pain for years have always looked into alternative treatments to find relief.  One of these alternative treatments that have been very successful in reducing back pain is practicing yoga.  Over time, yoga can increase the strength and flexibility of your back muscles, and can counteract the tightness and weak muscles that can cause many types of back pain.  Before practicing yoga, it may be a good idea to consult your doctor beforehand, to see if yoga is appropriate for you and your condition.

Using yoga to relieve back pain is no longer a theory, or an idea without merit, it is a reality.  Yoga is now accepted by most back care specialists as an effective treatment, and even sometimes, a remedy for the relief of back pain.  Practicing yoga will give you proper lumbar and back support, while at the same time strengthening the muscles in your back.  Practicing yoga over time will also help to realign your posture, which can also be a cause of back pain in itself.  Not only that, but yoga is also soothing, meditative, and healing to your body.

Many physicians will instruct patients with back problems to engage in some form of physical activity, or exercise to strengthen their back muscles, and to reduce overall pain.  However, many exercises can wreak havoc on an already aching back, and too much rigorous exercise can actually exacerbate the condition.  Traditional Western exercise tends to be very taxing on the body, especially the back, and although exercise is needed, the wrong kind of exercise can be ruinous for people with back problems.  This is one reason why yoga can be so beneficial in treating people that suffer from back pain.

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years and there is a reason why.  Because it works.  Yoga has been well known for a long time to increase flexibility, strength, circulation, and help regulate breathing.  But it has not been until recently that doctors have made the connection between yoga and treating back pain.  Not only does this seem like a natural marriage, but it is also an effective one.

The first thing you want to do after consulting your doctor is contact a few yoga instructors and tell them about your condition.  They will be able to effectively guide you to what are the best movements for your condition, and give you a plan so that you will be successful.  Yoga can be an excellent way to relieve back pain and keep it from controlling and ruining your life.  But it’s critical to find the right instructor that challenges you, but understands your condition, and has experience training others with similar back problems.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

Some people endure terrible back pain for many years without really knowing the reason why.  People try exercises, medicines, and even change their posture, but yet they still have no luck.  People buy car seat support for their automobiles, spend thousands of dollars on ergonomic chairs or even get expensive massages, but yet they still have back pain.  Many people just don’t realize that they might have nerve problems in their back commonly caused from a trapped or pinched nerve.  Usually a doctor or chiropractor can identify this problem quickly, usually in only one examination.

People who experience pinched nerve pain, sometimes do not even have a pinched nerve at all, but may be suffering from more serious nerve injuries.  The pinched nerve feeling they’re having could very well be caused by the nerve being inhibited in some way from its normal function.  It may be constricted, compressed or even stretched causing further damage to the surrounding nerves and tissues.  Sometimes this can be caused because of the surrounding tissues and bones putting pressure on the nerves.  Sometimes it’s the other way around.  However, when this is the case the problem will only intensify if further left untreated, and should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Back pain, in general, can be very hard to diagnose accurately, due to the fact that people experience back pain in different ways.  Some people experience short and often unpredicted tweaks to their back, while some endure constant nagging pain.  Others might have regular spasms which can lock your back, while others might experience a stinging feeling or even numbness.  If you are experiencing any of these symptoms the best thing to do is to go see a chiropractor, so you can get properly diagnosed.

There can be a long list of causes and reasons for back pain, including bad posture, having poorly made furniture, to serious nerve injuries.  However, as long as the list is of symptoms of back pain, there is an equally long list of treatments and cures.  You don’t have to suffer from back pain, forever; the sooner you take action the sooner your back pain will be a distant memory.  The most important thing you can do is to get your back looked at by a professional chiropractor, so he can diagnose the problem and begin treating it immediately.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

The sciatic nerve is located at the base of your backbone, near your tailbone.  It runs through the buttocks and down the back of the thigh, all the way down through the foot.  This is the longest nerve found in the body, and a number of conditions can easily put stress on it, resulting in severe back pain.  Simple things like unsuitable furniture, or even sitting on your wallet too long can irritate the nerve.  Too much stress can result in compression of the sciatic nerve, resulting in a condition called sciatica.

This pain that results from the impingement of the sciatic nerve can be quite excruciating, and can lead to debilitation in worst case scenarios.  However, there are a many aches and pains associated with sciatica that are not as severe, and can be properly treated.  A careful examination is necessary to properly diagnose the symptoms, and come up with the right solution.  The doctor will ask you for your previous medical history, the duration and frequency of the pain, if you have had previous sciatic episodes, even if you are using the proper posture and back support.  Some people with chronic illnesses such a diabetes are more predisposed to have sciatic problems than others, so make sure your complete medical history is well known.

After the doctor has discussed the symptoms with you, a physical examination will take place.  The source or origin of the pain is determined by making the patient perform a number of common activities like sitting, walking, standing, bending in different directions, even jumping up and down.  Other tests can include electrical conduction to establish whether there is a more serious problem with the transmission in the nerve, or if the nerve has been damaged by some other cause.  A simple X-ray or MRI should be able to get a clear diagnosis if there is any nerve or tissue damage, and will be able to diagnose the severity as well.

In some minor cases of sciatica, doctor intervention is not always necessary.  In some cases doing basic stretching exercises, coupled with extreme rest, can help the affliction.  Some people have even had success with meditation and yoga as an alternative method to treating this affliction.  However, if you are suffering from back pain and you think that it might be being caused by your sciatic nerve, it is best to go get it looked at immediately.  If you are having back pain, get it checked out at a doctor’s office first before you try any alternative methods of treatment.  It could be nothing, or it could be serious, but the only way to have the piece of mind in knowing, is to get a doctor’s opinion.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email:

When we think of injuries in the office workplace, we most often think of back and wrist injuries.  The fact is there are a multitude of office injuries that can result from improper back supports and lack of an ergonomic seat to give us the support we need. Chronic wrist and back pain are the most common, but an improper work station can also cause knee, leg, eye and even ankle strain.

General muscle aches and strains include tired legs, aching backs, stiff knees, shoulders and neck muscles.  When you get home at the end of the day and feel tired all over, this can be the result of a poor workplace set-up.

Wrist pain such as carpal tunnel results from repetitive motions such as typing without having proper support for the wrist.  The nerve that travels down the arm and through the wrist becomes compressed, resulting in pain and sometimes a tingling and numbness in the fingers.  Carpal tunnel can be improved by the use of a wrist brace, although sometimes surgery becomes necessary.

Eye strain is another common complaint among office workers.  Poor lighting is often the cause and can even lead to stiff and aching neck and shoulder muscles from hunching over to see things clearly.  This in turn can cause headaches and blurred vision as well as irritated watery eyes.  Occasionally accidents may occur when people have to move from a brightly lit area into a darker one.  For safety’s sake, lighting should be consistent throughout the workplace.

Lower back and leg pains can result from poor or lacking lumbar support and improper back support.  When we sit at a desk, our feet should always rest flat on the floor and our thighs should be parallel to the floor.  This alleviates stress and strain on the lower back.  Armrest should also be in the right position so that we don’t slouch or bend to rest our arms.

Another less commonly known injury in the office setting is a static posture injury.  This most often involves hip and knee strain.  It results from moving too quickly into an active position after sitting or standing in the same position for long periods.  The sudden movement causes strain to the muscles and can wear down ligaments causing serious pain.

All of these office workplace injuries can be avoided by the use of an ergonomically designed seat which provides proper back and lumbar support as well as a design that allows fluid movement between positions.

Having your office station set up with the proper lighting, seat and placement of equipment will help to ensure your comfort at work and at home at the end of the day!

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

Don’t Forget to Subscribe by RSS or Email: