"Yesterday when I went to the supermarket, I saw an aunt bending down to pick up the fruit that had fallen to the ground, and suddenly she couldn't stand up with pain in her back. In everyday life, similar scenes are not uncommon. Many people may inadvertently adopt postures that are harmful to their bodies during daily activities such as bending over, sitting, or even sleeping. These seemingly harmless movements, in the long run, may cause damage to the waist, knees and even the entire body.
Many people don't know it. I often hear people complaining:"Why do you wake up from sleep and your waist hurts so much?Or, "Why do my knees feel sore after standing for a while?"”The answers to these questions may be hidden in daily Xi.
So, what are the daily postures that are invisibly damaging the body?How to avoid these hazards and maintain a healthy physical condition?
Sitting at a desk or couch for long periods of time, common sitting posture mistakes may be quietly affecting lower back health. Hunched over, leaning forward, or sitting with legs crossed can actually put undesirable pressure on the spine, especially the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is one of the most important support points of the human body, and incorrect sitting posture will lead to uneven distribution of pressure in the lumbar spine, which can easily cause low back pain and even lumbar disc herniation in the long run.
The correct sitting posture should maintain the natural curve of the spine, with the back straight and the feet flat on the ground. The height of the office chair should be adjusted so that your feet can rest comfortably on the floor and your knees should be at a 90-degree angle. If the chair doesn't have good lumbar support, consider using lumbar pads to reduce pressure on the lower back.
One study showed that staying in a fixed position for long periods of time increases the risk of developing low back pain. It is recommended to get up and do some stretching exercises every 30 minutes to 1 hour. Simple stretches, such as stretching your hands upwards while standing, can help relieve pressure on your back and lower back.
The effects of sitting are far beyond the lower back, and can affect other parts of the spine or even the entire body posture. Long-term poor sitting posture may lead to tension and pain in the cervical spine, shoulders and other parts. Improving your sitting posture is not just about preventing low back pain, it's about your overall health.
Bending over may seem simple, but if you do it wrong, the consequences can be severe. Every day, many people inadvertently adopt the wrong bending posture when picking up things, gardening, and housework, which causes great pressure on the lumbar spine. The lumbar spine is like a weak bamboo pole, and if it is repeatedly bent inappropriately, its bearing capacity will gradually weaken, and eventually lead to injury.
Wrong bending movements, such as straight-legged bending, can put more pressure on the lower back than normal. Studies have shown that:When bending over with straight legs, the pressure on the lower back is more than three times greater than when standing. If this pressure accumulates over a long period of time, it may lead to diseases such as lumbar disc herniation.
How to bend over properly?To learn to use the knees. When bending over, the knees are slightly bent as if they are about to sit down. This allows the thigh muscles to share the pressure on the lower back and reduce the damage to the lumbar spine. Keep your spine naturally curved and avoid arching your back or arching your waist too much.
In life, there are many activities that often involve bending over, such as picking up things on the ground, cleaning the floor, gardening homework, etc. Proper posture not only protects the lower back, but also reduces the burden on the knees and back. For example, when picking up an item on the ground, you can crouch down and then stand up with your leg strength instead of using your waist strength directly.
In practice,You can also strengthen the muscles in your lower back and abdomen through daily exercises, which can better support your spine and reduce the risk of injury. Simple ones such as planks, sit-ups, etc., are good choices.
Remember, every bend is a test of the lumbar spine. Taking the right posture can make this action a boost to protect the health of the lower back, rather than a killer.
Sleep is an important part of life, but it's often overlooked. In particular, the impact on spinal health is worth paying attention to. The health of the spine, as the main supporting structure of the human body, has a direct impact on overall well-being.
Sleeping on your stomach is common but most likely to injure the cervical spine. Lying prone for a long time, the neck needs to be twisted to one side to breathe, resulting in the cervical spine being in an unnatural state for a long time, increasing the tension and burden on the neck muscles. In the long run, it may cause cervical spine lesions and even induce chronic neck pain.
Lying on the side, although it is better than lying on the stomach, is also exquisite. When lying on your side, your spine should remain straight and avoid twisting. If the knees are stacked, it is easy to increase the pressure on the lower back, which may cause low back problems in the long run. It is advisable to place a small pillow between your knees to reduce pressure and maintain the natural curve of your spine.
Sleeping on your back is considered the ideal sleeping position. When sleeping on your back, the weight of your body is evenly distributed, and your spine, cervical spine, and head are well supported, reducing stress and twisting。However, be careful not to make pillows too high or too low. A pillow that is too high will bend your neck forward, and too low will cause your head to tilt back. The ideal pillow height should keep the head, neck, and spine in a straight line.
Wrong posture during exercise, like a latent crisis, can cause long-term damage to the knees and spine. For example, when squatting with your knees over your toes, this common mistake not only puts a strain on the knee joint, but can also cause knee pain. According to research,The appropriate knee bend angle should be controlled no more than the toe to reduce the pressure on the knee joint.
Landing posture is especially critical when performing impact exercises such as running。Improper foot-touching, such as landing with your heel first, can result in additional impact on your knees and spine. The correct way is to land on the ground in the middle of the ball, which will better distribute the impact and protect the knee joint and spine.
Many people also tend to overlook the importance of posture when doing stretching exercises. For example,Excessive bending of the spine to touch the toes can lead to back muscle strain. The correct thing to do is to keep the spine neutral and gradually increase the range of stretch while paying attention to the comfort of the muscles.