correct sitting posture

How often have you been sitting for long periods of time and then tried to stand, but because of back pain could barely do so? Had you noticed your sitting posture?

Probably not!

By becoming more aware of how we sit we can usually reduce muscle tension and back and neck stiffness produced by poor sitting habits.

• Adjust the height of the chair according to the height of the work station, ensuring that your hands are: at a 90 degrees angle, between arm and forearm, parallel to the table, and that your shoulders are relaxed and without strain.
• Should your legs not reach the floor in this position, add a stool so as to allow a sitting posture in which your legs are supported, for more convenience.
• Lean back on the chair in a 105 degrees angle. This will reduce pressure on your back. (Use the chair lever to change the angle of the back rest)
• Adjust the height of the back rest of your chair for full support of the lower back (Use the chair lever to change the height of the back rest.)
• Adjust the height of the computer screen until its upper edge is on the same level as your eyes. If the screen is low, its height should be adjusted. Another option is to raise the screen.
• The optimal distance between your eyes and the screen should be that of the extended arm, i.e., between 60 to 70 cm.
• The keyboard and the mouse should be placed side by side, 8 – 10 cm away from the edge of the table, to enable placement of the palms in a straight line with the mouse and the keyboard.
• Make sure that your wrist is positioned straightly when typing and that your wrist is not bent.
• The forearm should be supported by the table or by the arms of the chair.
• Take regular intervals (5 minutes every hour) and perform stretch and relax exercises.

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Office Exercises

Taking small periodic breaks doesn't just allow you to have a mini-mental vacation from the constant reins of work, it's also an important opportunity to reduce built-up physical tension by stretching out your contracted and tensed body. Every 30 to 40 minutes your body needs to move, stretch and get out of any position that it's been stuck in.

Assuming that your working position is in the seated posture, the following stretches can be performed throughout the day, everyday, to keep your body happy and healthy. All stretches should be held for 5-30 seconds and performed 1-3 times, depending on the amount of time you have. Hold the stretch in a position in which you can feel the muscles comfortably stretch.

Exercises for Knee Pain (Osteoarthiritis)

Physiotherapy Treatment may comprise:

• soft tissue massage
• electrotherapy (e.g. ultrasound)
• taping
• the use of a knee brace or compression bandage
• mobilization
• ice or heat treatment
• exercises to improve strength, flexibility and balance
• hydrotherapy
• education
• the use of crutches or other walking aids
• activity and lifestyle modification advice
• biomechanical correction
• weight loss advice where appropriate

Exercises

The following exercises are commonly prescribed to patients with arthritis of the knee. You should discuss the suitability of these exercises with your physiotherapist prior to beginning them. Generally, they should be performed 3 times daily and only provided they do not cause or increase symptoms.

1. Knee Bend to Straighten

Bend and straighten your knee as far as possible without increasing your pain. Repeat 10 times.

2. Static Quadriceps Contraction

Tighten the muscle at the front of your thigh (quadriceps) by pushing your knee down into a towel . Put your fingers on your quadriceps to feel the muscle tighten during contraction. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times as hard as possible without increasing your symptoms.

Tips to Prevent Neck Pain

The most common causes of neck pain are the result of bad habits or poor ergonomics. Here are just a few of the most common reasons. Take a look at them and make an effort to correct them. Your neck will thank you!

Center your monitor. People who sit at a computer with the monitor even slightly off to the side are ultimately doomed. This results in the head turned to one side. If this is a temporary position of the neck, it is not a big problem. However, if you sit at a desk for eight hours or more a day, neck pain is inevitable. This is very easy to correct so simply center your monitor over your keyboard.

Check your lighting. If your desk lighting is insufficient, your head will have the tendency to crane forward to read off the computer screen. A forward position of the head places undue stress on the upper vertebrae of the neck and the sub-occipital muscles at the base of the head resulting in headaches.

Get your eyes checked. Uncorrected near or far-sightedness can also cause craning of the head similar to that mentioned with poor lighting. Occasionally, people turn their head slightly to the side in order to see directly ahead. These people have learned to rely more on their peripheral vision to focus on objects due to a condition known as strabismus.

Do not sleep on your stomach. The only way to breathe effectively in this position is to turn your head to one side. Hopefully it is becoming clear to you that sustained neck rotation is a bad thing.

Do not read or watch television lying down. This bad habit is particularly devastating to necks. It usually results in both a forward and a rotated position of the neck, a double whammy. Some peoples’ neck symptoms will go away entirely simply by correcting this bad habit.

If your neck pain radiates down your arm, see your doctor. This is more serious than simple neck pain and may involve irritation of the nerves as they exit the spine. Regardless of the extent of injury to your neck, It is still a good idea to correct your bad habits and check your ergonomics.

Understand & Avoid Muscle Cramps

You’ve probably experienced a muscle cramp sometime, and it probably happened while you were exercising. Or it may even have occurred while sitting, walking, or just sleeping. You felt a sudden contraction of one or more muscles that resulted in intense pain and an inability to use the affected muscles.

Although cramps typically happen from overuse and dehydration during activity in warm weather, injury and muscle strain, or staying in the same position can also cause them.

Scientifically speaking, muscle cramps usually result from:

· Inadequate blood supply. Narrowing of the arteries that deliver blood to your muscles can produce cramp-like pain while you're exercising.

· Nerve compression. Compression of nerves in your spine can produce cramp like pain in your legs. The pain usually worsens the longer you walk. Walking in a slightly flexed position - such as you would when pushing a shopping cart ahead of you - may improve your symptoms.

· Mineral depletion. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in your diet can contribute to muscle cramps. Some diuretic medications prescribed for high blood pressure cause loss of potassium.

Muscle cramps are also part of certain conditions such as nerve, thyroid or hormone disorders, diabetes, hypoglycemia and anemia. Most people experience cramps only occasionally and they usually go away on their own and don't require medical treatment but if you experience frequent and severe muscle cramps you should consider seeing your doctor.

Prevention

· Avoid dehydration. Drink plenty of liquids every day. Fluids help your muscles contract and relax and keep muscle cells hydrated and less irritable. Drink fluids before any exercise activity. During the activity, replenish fluids at regular intervals, and continue drinking water or other fluids after you're finished.

· Stretch your muscles. Stretch before and after you use any muscle for an extended period. If you tend to have leg cramps at night, stretch before bedtime.

· Apply cold or heat. Use a cold pack to relax tense muscles. Use a warm towel or heating pad later if you have pain or tenderness, or take a hot bath.

· Exercise Regularly. Cross train and exercise regularly. The stronger and more conditioned the muscles are the more efficiently they'll work and sustain various overloads for prolonged periods.

· Eat a balanced diet. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in addition to meals that are appropriate for your weight and energy expenditure and time of day.

Do you know when to use ice and when to use heat on an injury?

Most people know to apply ice to an acute injury but aren't so sure when to use heat. There are two basic types of injuries: acute and chronic.

Acute Injuries are sudden, sharp, traumatic injuries that occur immediately (or within hours) and cause pain (possibly severe pain). Most often acute injuries result from some sort of impact or trauma such as a fall, sprain, or collision and it's pretty obvious what caused the injury.

Acute injuries also cause common signs and symptoms of injury such as

pain, tenderness, redness, skin that is warm to the touch, swelling and inflammation. If you have swelling, you have an acute injury.

Chronic injuries, on the other hand, can be subtle and slow to develop. They sometimes come and go, and may cause dull pain or soreness. They are often the result of overuse, but sometimes develop when an acute injury is not properly treated and doesn't heal.

Cold Therapy with Ice

Cold therapy with ice is the best immediate treatment for acute injuries because it reduces swelling and pain. Ice is a vasoconstrictor (it causes the blood vessels to narrow) and it limits internal bleeding at the injury site. Apply ice (wrapped in a thin towel or cloth for comfort) to the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Allow the skin temperature to return to normal before icing a second or third time. You can ice an acute injury several times a day for up to three days.

Cold therapy is also helpful in treating some overuse injuries or chronic pain. If you have chronic knee pain that increases after running, you may want to ice the injured area after each run to reduce or prevent inflammation. It's not helpful to ice a chronic injury before exercise.

The best way to ice an injury is with a high quality ice pack that conforms to the body part being iced. You can also get good results from a bag of frozen peas, an ice massage with water frozen in a paper or Styrofoam cup (peel the cup down as the ice melts) or a bag of ice.

Heat Therapy

Heat is generally used for chronic injuries or injuries that have no inflammation or swelling. Sore, stiff, nagging muscle or joint pain is ideal for the use of heat therapy. Athletes with chronic pain or injuries may use heat therapy before exercise to increase the elasticity of joint connective tissues and to stimulate blood flow. Heat can also help relax tight muscles or muscle spasms. Don't apply heat after exercise. After a workout, ice is the better choice on a chronic injury.

Because heat increases circulation and raises skin temperature, you should not apply heat to acute injuries or injuries that show signs of inflammation. Safely apply heat to an injury 15 to 20 minutes at a time and use enough layers between your skin and the heating source to prevent burns.

Moist heat is best, so you could try using a hot wet towel. You can buy special heating pads if you use heat often. Never leave heating pads on for more than 20 minutes at a time or while sleeping.

Prevention of Back Pain

Four out of five adults will experience significant low back pain sometime during their life. Work-related back injuries are the nation's number one occupational hazard, but you could suffer back pain from activities at home and at play, too.

Are you at risk?

You are most at risk for back pain if:

· Your job requires frequent bending and lifting

· You must twist your body when lifting and carrying an object

· You must lift and carry in a hurry

· You are overweight

· You do not exercise regularly or do not engage in recreational activities

· You smoke

If you are a caregiver for an ill or injured family member, you are at greatest risk for back pain when:

· Pulling the person who is reclining in bed into a sitting position

· Transferring the person from the bed to a chair

· Leaning over the person for long periods of time

Reduce Your Risk

· Plan ahead what you want to do and don't be in a hurry

· Spread your feet shoulder-width apart to give yourself a solid base of support

· Bend your knees

· Tighten your stomach muscles

· Position the person or object close to your body before lifting

· Lift with your leg muscles. Never lift an object by keeping your legs stiff, while bending over it

· Avoid twisting your body; instead, point your toes in the direction you want to move and pivot in that direction

· When placing an object on a high shelf, move close to the shelf. Do not stand far away and extend your arms with the object in your hands

· Maintain the natural curve of your spine; don't bend at your waist

· When appropriate, use an assistive device such as a transfer belt, sliding board or draw sheet to move a person

· Do not try to lift by yourself something that is too heavy or an awkward shape.