Is posture important to health? Yes it is! Yoga says it, science says it and most importantly, your back tells the entire story. The human spine isn’t a straight formation.
It has curves and is constituted in three parts, below the neck (lordosis-slight forward curve), the upper back (khyphosis-slight backward curve) and the lower back
(lordosis-slight forward curve). As long as the natural curvature of the spine is maintained, there is equal distribution of load on the spine and its surrounding structures like muscles and ligaments.
However, with people spending several hours on their desks at work and at home, that too while they are seated in the wrong posture or using the wrong kind of chairs, the spine is being neglected and as a result, several people are developing back problems.
Sit right
It is important to arrange your workstation ergonomically. The worst thing to do is to sit and stoop forward. If you work for long hours in this abnormal posture, a
muscular imbalance occurs between the abdominal
muscles and the lower back muscles and if the same
continues for a long period of time, it will change the curve of your spine.
The natural lumbar spine curvatures (lordosis) will obliterate (reduce) and the lumbar spine can even become straight and this leads to other changes in the upper back and neck region. Once the natural curvature of the spine is lost, it increases the pressure on the muscles, ligaments, capsule, disc, bone, etc., and the individual is more prone to developing early arthritis, upper back and lower back syndromes, disc problems, etc.
In addition, once the natural curvature of the spine is lost, it is impossible to regain the same. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the right posture while sitting especially if you work for long hours.
Keep that back straight
The healthiest way to sit while you work on a desk is to sit upright and always have back support as this ensures equal distribution of the load on the spine. It also helps you breathe better as lung expansion is accommodated (more oxygen intake) and this position is also a good stress reliever especially for software professionals.
Choose your throne
wisely
Sitting right isn’t enough. The kind of chair you sit on is also important. Select a chair with ample back support, which means that your back ought to be supported till the shoulder level. Listed below are a few ergonomics that you must maintain at the workstation to keep your back healthy:
Keep both hands on the armrest of your chair so that it reduces the load on your spine.
Perform short abdominal and spinal muscle exercises at your workstation.
Make sure you pick the right chair. The ideal chair is one with an armrest, a reclined bottom, a backrest and an upper back support.
The author is a spine surgeon at the Yashoda Hospital in Secunderabad.