I needed to better the condition, thus I needed to find the cause. Stress, fatigue, overwork: many reasons like these were suggested to me. But what was the most obvious was that I had radically changed my life, going back to study 6-8 hours a day, glued to my desk, books and computer to get my new degree. And I was not 18 like during my first degree! I finally graduated, and hop!, as by magic, my back pain disappeared. I stopped sitting insanely for those long hours with no interruption and I went back to a more healthy life. Further, I could now offer help to others!, in this and other health issues thanks to that degree.
That the human body was not designed for a sitting position is obvious to everyone: after all, we do not have a number 4 shape. What happens to the body when one sits for long hours is deep.
The body is composed of 206 bones that articulate through many joints that allow us to move and produce very complicated actions, thanks to the coordination of our muscles that insert on these bones. Such body has evolved for a very active life, for movement and not for stillness. If one keeps a position for a long time, muscular tensions appear. So sitting and being static for long hours create contractions and tensions that appear as pain: back, neck, shoulders, buttocks, wrist pain… The lack of movement slows and blocks the flow of blood and body lymph which are necessary for hydrating and nourishing all tissues, including muscles, tendons and ligaments. Keeping a fixed position for a long time creates a progressive lack of oxygen to the tissues, and this repeats the cycle of pain.
A sustained sitting position produces:
- A long-term restriction of the hip joint
- A softening of the abdominal belt, especially at the level of the transverse muscle, and a weakening of the paravertebral muscles that keep our vertebral column erect.
- Modification and limitation of our breathing action.
- Removal of our natural lumbar curve which place the vertebral disks under a huge strain and cause lumbar pain.
- Inhibition of the large gluteus muscles that are not stimulated to extend the hip, their normal action, used in walking, running, etc. Such extension is supplied by the paravertebral muscles which can cause overcharging of the back.
- Creation of a bending of shoulders and head towards the front, weakening the shoulder-blade muscles and shortening the neck and pectoral muscles.
- Change of our center of gravity due to these muscular tensions.
When it is necessary to sit for long hours, it is important to move every 15-20 minutes, to get up, stretch, walk and breath at full capacity. Small, short by frequent pauses allow the circulatory movements and the relaxation of unconscious tensions.
So, set up an alarm system on your computer, and get up. Stretch your arms to the ceiling extending your whole body vertically. Rotate your waist left and right with the help of your arms, by keeping your hips fixed. Take a few long steps. Rotate your legs around the hips. Breath deeply for 5 minutes. And go back to work well oxygenated and with well lubricated joints!
