Although persistent poor posture isn’t a good look, it can also have serious consequences! We know that poor posture causes muscle imbalances between the front and back side of the body. These imbalances affect the stability of the spine and can affect the discs over time.
Spinal Discs: These discs are round and spongy, acting as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. The discs have a tough outer layer and a soft, jelly-like inner layer. The discs are adaptable to different positions of the spine, but when put in a strained posture persistently over time, it can cause the disc to bulge, then herniate.
Disc herniation simply means that one end of the disc has been compressed, causing the other side to be pushed out. Over time, the outer layer of the disc weakens, and the inner layer comes out or herniates. This can put pressure on an area of the spine or spinal nerves and can cause pain, muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling in parts of the body.
So, what can we do?
There are definite actions you can take to reduce the effects of disc herniation or prevent it altogether.
Change how you sit
If you’re one of the millions who have to sit all day for work, you’re at a higher risk for disc herniation. Amazingly, most people don’t think about how they sit all day, even though their bodies are in this position for 8-10hrs plus! Have someone take a picture.
How do you sit? If you’re like most, you’re sitting in a slouched posture with your back in a “C” curve. This puts a huge amount of strain on the cervical spine and the lumbar spine. You can change this by using a chair that supports the pelvis in a neutral position, bringing the spine into a neutral “S” curve and relieving the disc pressure. If you can’t change chairs, use a rolled up towel and place it behind your buttocks to bring the pelvis to neutral.
Address Muscle Imbalances
Exercise seems to be a treatment for most ailments, doesn’t it? In this case, it’s especially important to prevent or alleviate the pain of herniated discs. If preventing herniated discs, then try exercises that strengthen the back side of the body and stretch the front side of the body. If dealing with a herniated disc, always consult with your healthcare professional first. And check out or blog Healing Your Lower Back: Exercises for a Herniated Disc
Consider how you move
This may seem strange, but when you sit all day in poor posture and develop muscle imbalances, it affects the way you move. Think about daily tasks such as loading the dishwasher, brushing your teeth, or working out. Do you bend your back into a “C” shape, or do you hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight? This simple change can make all the difference. Hinging at the hips, sticking your butt out and keeping your back straight activates the gluteus muscles and hamstrings and strengthens them while supporting the spine.
If you’re looking for a chair to help with your daily sitting posture, look no further than Anthros.
The Anthros chair is uniquely designed to support and stabilize the pelvis in a neutral position, which then aligns the spine in its natural curves. This optimizes disc space, decreasing the risk of disc herniation.
Anthros truly cares about the whole person. With every purchase of an Anthros chair, you receive at no cost, a consultation with a posture specialist, a Get out of Pain video series, and Fix Your Sit Guidebook. These resources will go into greater detail about how to protect your back in all areas of your life.
Anthros is the only chair in the world that is guaranteed to improve posture or your money back. The science-backed, patented design is registered with the FDA as a posture-improving chair and is proven to have the lowest pressure (most comfortable) cushion on the planet (verified by university testing).
Take the next step to reducing pain, increasing comfort, and maximizing performance!
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