Sitting at a desk, in the car or on the sofa for most of the day can have detrimental effects on our bodies; resulting, in muscle tension/tightness in our neck, back, and hips which can lead to headaches and restrict the movements in these joints.
Sitting for long periods
This flexed position in the upper half of the body (“slouching”) which often accompanies seated postures can sometimes be referred to as upper cross syndrome. Upper cross syndrome occurs when there is an imbalance in the muscles working to hold your up correctly. In this position, the muscles at the front of the chest and back of the neck become tight and the muscles at the back of the shoulders and front of the neck become weak and lengthen. In an upright position the head weighs between 10-12lbs, as we tilt our neck forward the weight of the head placed through the neck increases. Neck flexion of 60 degrees can increase the weight of the head to 60lbs and as little as 15 degrees can increase the weight to 27lbs. When we hold this position for long periods of time our whole body adapts to it and makes compensations (resulting in pain, stiffness etc.). In addition, it also makes it hard to correct ourselves as our muscles have adjusted to these positions through communicating with our central nervous system. Having chronically tight and shortened muscles also limits the movement through these joints, restricting the range of moment available.
The lower half of the body is also affected when sitting for long periods of time which can directly affect the upper half of the body and the visceral organs through compensations patterns and fascial pulling from head to toe. When sitting with a slouched posture, our pelvis is often rotated posteriorly (where the backside is tilted downwards and the front part of the pelvis is tilted upwards). A posterior pelvic tilt causes our spine to become flat and creates muscle imbalances. Typically our hamstrings and gluteus muscles become short and tight pulling the pelvis down in conjunction with tight abdominal muscles pulling the front of the pelvis up. An imbalance occurs as our hip flexors and back muscles become weak contributing to the posterior tilt.
This tilt can be transferred up the body through the anterior fascial line leading to the an anterior rolled shoulder position, pulling on the neck muscles and compressing the heart and other abdominal organs. In this position our psoas muscles (our biggest core muscles that help stabilize our spine) are compromised, and because of its proximity to our internal organs (where it acts as a shelf for our kidney and adrenal glands) both physical and emotional exhaustion can occur. The psoas muscles also work as a hydraulic pump with the movement of the diaphragm, allowing for blood and lymph to be moved in and out of cells; hence, when they become compromised (during sitting and other times) it can have enormous effects on our entire body.
What you can do
The first step in addressing this situation is being aware of our posture, especially if our occupations, exercise or activities of daily living where they require us to perform the same movements repeatedly. It is important to ensure that our workstation is set up ergonomically, with our chairs, desk and computer being at the right heights. The below picture shows an ergonomically correct workstation for good posture.
Even when not at a desk it is important to sit upright and ensure our weight is being evenly distributed through our sit bones. Whether you are on a couch, a plane or in the car, placing a pillow/lumbar support behind your back may be beneficial.
As mentioned above, when our pelvis is in a non-neutral position it can affect not only our physical but also our emotional well-being. So finding your neutral pelvis position is essential, if your pelvis is not correctly aligned it transfers all the way to the top of your head (like stacking bricks on top of each other, the foundation needs to be set first). How to find your neutral pelvic position will be explored at the end of this blog.
Having micro breaks and getting up to move around is important, ideally every 30 minutes to an hour. Although not always possible on long drives, your body will thank you for doing this as much as possible. These breaks are also a great time to get some simple stretches in too.
How can osteopathy help?
Your osteopathic practitioner can access your posture and go through the best seated position for you, helping you find your neutral pelvic position and providing you with easy stretches that can help minimize your discomfort. An osteopathic practitioner can release the muscular tensions and stiffness you may be feeling in any areas of your body and can help open you up again so that your internal organs and breathing are not compromised.
Your osteopathic practitioner can assess to see whether your centre of gravity line in both a seated and standing position is off balance, helping ensure there is no excessive or unnecessary load being placed through any region of the body and ensuring your body is as stable as possible, so it is less susceptible to injury and unwanted compensations.
An osteopathic practitioner can work viscerally on your abdominal organs which may have been compromised in these positions leading to constipation, bloating, menstrual cramps as well as stimulating blood flow. Your practitioner can also help with any anxiety, stress, or exhaustion that may have resulted from your posture, particularly through your psoas muscles which directly affect your fight and flight response making your adrenal glands exhausted and depleting your immune system.
An easy stretch you can try for yourself
Side to side neck stretch (ensuring you are sitting upright and your feet are flat on the ground)
· Sit on your right hand
· Gently tilt your head to the left
· Hold for 30 seconds
· Repeat on opposite side
Neutral pelvic position
In order to find your neutral pelvic position and to know what it feels like, it is important to feel what an anterior and posterior pelvic tilt feel like.
Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the ground and your knees shoulder with apart. Place your hands on the front of your hip bones and slouch all the way forward (posterior pelvic tilt) and then sit upright emphasizing the curve in your back (anterior pelvic tilt), notice how your hips move.
Rock your pelvis between these positions going from 100% to 75% to 50% until you find the halfway point between a full posterior tilt and full anterior tilt. This is the neutral spine position; it should feel like you are sitting directly on top of your sit bones, ensuring your weight is being evenly distributed.
If you have any further queries or questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
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