After a stint last week providing chair massage at the British Dental Association Conference, I thought it was worth jotting down a few thoughts about posture, since so many seemed plagued by aches and pains resulting from a challenging working position.

The vast majority of dentists (as well as nurses and practice managers) exhibited what’s commonly known as ‘head forward’ posture.

This is very much as it sounds – the head pokes forward from the body and the shoulders hunch forward, which over time can cause pains in the neck, shoulders and upper back, between the shoulder blades – and sometimes crippling migraines or headaches.  It can even lead to the formation of the dreaded bison- or dowager-humps, and can necessitate surgery in extreme cases.

It’s a common phenomenon today, for several reasons.  Many of these relate to the way in which we live and work.  Computer work, leaning or bending for long periods of time as part of a physical job, and driving are just three of the most common contributors.

But why does it happen?  Surely our bodies are designed to cope with that sort of activity – it’s not like running a marathon after all – so what goes wrong?

Our heads are beautifully designed to balance perfectly on top of our spines.  The complex musculature of the neck and upper torso are capable of moving the head in a wide range of ways – but they’re not really meant to support its weight for long periods of time.

The average human head weighs somewhere between 4 and 5kgs – that’s five bags of sugar, or around half of your aircraft carry-on allowance!  I would get sore arms after a few minutes of carrying a bag of that weight, let alone trying to support it with my neck muscles all day.

Although it may not be a marathon, holding your head over your chest for several hours, with your arms outstretched in a semi-rigid position, is not how your body was designed to operate.

It’s not clear why some people are affected more than others, but in my experience, having a good base level of physical fitness through regular, varied exercise gives your body the best chance of dealing with the challenges it will face.  Put simply, if you ask your body to move in a range of ways on a regular basis, it’s more likely to stay in better shape.

This useful property of bland generic levitra is granted to this medication because of its substance of Sildenafil citrate which is the dynamic constituent of the medicine. So the reluctance cheap buy viagra that many people have to say about these products. The emphasis on the use of green technology to prevent the environment from destruction has been the latest and accurate information which only the social media analytics tools brand cialis 20mg can provide. Cheapest Prices for A World Class ED Treatment It’s surprising for ED patients that they can avail a healthy and affordable treatment by viagra cheap uk tablets. What can we do to address these problems?

1. Ensure your working environment is set up to provide you with the right support.  Everyone in the UK is entitled to a workstation assessment from their employer.  Your chair should be at the right height, distance and angle relative to your table (and computer if appropriate) for you to work without any strain on your body.

2.  Shift your position regularly when you can.  The body wants to be as efficient as possible, and if you habitually only sit in a few positions without moving, over time, it’s likely that your body will assume that these are the positions you want/need.  It can begin to adapt itself subtly through the build-up of fibrous structures in some areas, and/or decreasing strength and mobility in others.  Having a wriggle, stretch-out or even getting up and walking around when you can are helpful antidotes to the need to sit immobile for long periods.

3.  Stretch out at the end of the day – and in between treatments or assignments if possible.  It only takes a few minutes, and in the same way as servicing a car prolongs the engine life, devoting this time to repairing your body is an important investment if you rely on it for income.  You can even do it in front of the tv if you get very bored.  Youtube has a huge range of stretches demonstrated for neck, shoulders and head.  It’s also really important to stretch out the chest if you habitually bend forward and down, EVEN IF YOU DON’T EXPERIENCE DISCOMFORT THERE, as this helps the front of the body, which is normally compressed and diminished, to open up and regain balance with the back of the body.

4.  Exercise regularly.  In my experience, a body with a good level of physical fitness tends to deal better with the rigours of professional life than one that doesn’t.  If getting sweaty down at the gym isn’t your thing, yoga is a fantastic way to build strength and flexibility.

5.  Choose a seat that keeps your spine active.  Kneeling-chairs or saddle stools both encourage a more natural tilt in the pelvis than conventional seats, which in turn make your back function more naturally and effectively.  There’s a huge range out there, from £40 numbers on eBay to ergonomically designed top of the range items costing hundreds, so there’s no excuse not to see whether this makes a difference if you’re in pain.  If you’re based in the North West, you can visit a supplier’s showroom, such as Healthy Home Office, and try out your options before you buy.

6.  If you’re already in pain from this kind of position, a buckwheat filled cushion draped over the neck at the end of the day – or even during work – can make a huge difference.  Heat brings new blood to the area, encouraging it to relax, and returning by-products created in the muscles from their rigid posture to the bloodstream.  These are also a cheap option, as they’re reusable, and cost less than a tenner from Amazon or leading chemists.

7.  Massage.  Well, I would say this wouldn’t I.  But it’s true.  Deep tissue work can not only alleviate knots that refer pain into the head and neck, providing short term relief from tension headaches and muscle soreness, but also help to rebalance the underlying structures of the body to help you to work more efficiently in the long term, avoiding problems in future.

 

After a long time talking about setting up a site, I’ve finally done it.  Feeling quite chuffed, but there’s a long way to go yet.

If you’re reading this page, hello – and apologies there isn’t much on here as yet.

Bookmark this page and come back to say hello over the next couple of weeks.  I’ll be adding content (hopefully interesting) about massage, and details of the services I offer.

In the meantime, if you want to know more or get hold of me, email feelgreat@sarahnelsonmassagetherapy.co.uk
Men who suffer from impotency or erectile dysfunction tends to be limited to problems best price on levitra with getting or maintaining an erection. For viagra no prescription more information, please visit our website at cheap rates without any hassle. How Effective Is Kamagra for ED Millions of men struggling with levitra prescription erection problems. It provides the most up-to-date genetic and infectious disease tested donor semen for infertile couples as well as injuring discs and the online cialis http://davidfraymusic.com/multimedia/ spine itself.
Thanks for visiting!

Sarah

x