5 Ways You’re Unintentionally Hurting Your Back & Neck
Chronic pain is said to become one of the most critical healthcare issues in Malaysia. According to GSK’s 2020 Global Pain index, 85% of Malaysians said their quality of life drops when they are affected by pain. With this in mind, did you know that there are actually many habits and unconscious practices that Malaysians have which actually increases our likelihood of getting body aches, spinal issues and chronic pain.
Here are 5 different things you might have been doing which unintentionally hurts your neck, back and spine.
1. Using your phone: tech neck
In this day and age, all of us can no longer stay away from our smartphones. We use it for entertainment and as a way to wind down but we also use it to read news, communicate with friends and even to organise day-to-day necessities. However, all this smartphone usage has caused many problems for our neck and spine.
Tech neck is the term used to describe the pain or uncomfortable feeling you get when your neck (cervical spine) is tilted too long in the wrong position. Often when we use technology, our head is looking down. This puts more pressure on our neck as it tries to support the weight of our head. Given the amount of hours our head is left in that position when staring at handheld devices, it often causes the neck to strain and feel painful.
Tips to avoid tech neck:
Reduce the amount of time spent on your smartphone or other handheld devices
Try holding up your device to eye-level instead of looking down at it
Take regular breaks from using technology throughout the day — at least 10 minutes for every hour of use.
Incorporate neck and head stretches into your daily routine.
Correct posture for using handheld devices
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(Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eye_Level_Reading.jpg)
2. Sleeping
There’s nothing like sinking into your bed after a long day of getting things done. However, while your body and mind might be resting, sleeping in the wrong position can actually hurt your spine and cause chronic neck and back pain. A study published in BMJ Open in 2019 suggests that sleeping in an improper posture all night can increase your risk of cervical and lumbar pain.
Best sleeping habits:
Flat on your back
This posture offers the most health benefits. Not only is it great for your back and spine, it is also a great way to keep your skin fresh! You can even add an extra pillow below your knees to help better support the natural curvature of your spine.Fetal position
This is a good position for those with lower back pain and also individuals that are pregnant. Sleeping in the fetal position is also said to help reduce snoring. However, make sure to sleep in a relatively loose posture, as tight fetal positions can cause muscle and joint stiffness.
Proper sleep posture
3. Working from your couch/bed
The past year saw an unprecedented amount of individuals working from home. And while for many this afforded more flexibility, most were not prepared to have an ergonomic work environment in their homes.
Working from your couch or bed can feel cozy and relaxing, however spending your entire work hours sitting with bad posture will definitely hurt your back, neck and spine in the long run. On top of that, constantly using your laptop without a proper set up (i.e. having a keyboard, mouse and a laptop stand) will increase your chances of developing upper back and neck discomfort from having to hunch over your screen.
Ways to reduce back pain and body aches when WFH:
Don’t stay sedentary. Get up to walk around the house or do some light stretching every half an hour to an hour.
If possible, buy yourself a laptop stand, mouse and keyboard. Your laptop stand should have your screen at eye level to avoid straining your neck; the keyboard and mouse will help stop you from staying hunched over your laptop all day.
Avoid working from your couch or bed. And even if you do, make sure to set reminders to get up every now and again to get in some movement and lighten the pressure on your posture.
Best work from home set up
4. Binge watching on Netflix
Going through episodes of your favourite comfort TV show is definitely one of the best ways to get in some down time and relax. However, while your mind might be preoccupied with all the action on-screen, your body is suffering the consequences of bad binge watching posture.
Similar to working from your bed or couch, watching programs on your laptop while slumped on your bed frame or couch is damaging to your back as it leaves the spine curved uncomfortably for a long period of time.
Tips to avoid pain when binge watching:
Even if you want to watch your shows from your bed or couch, make sure your back and neck is properly supported with pillows and head rests.
Position yourself so you don’t have to rotate your neck and back to see the screen.
Get up from your seated position regularly. Schedule in snack breaks or toilet breaks so you are not keeping your spine in one posture for too long.
Best position for binge watching
5. Working out
In our quest to keep fit and get our body in shape, we can over exert ourselves without realising it. Experts even say that getting too sore after a workout can be counterproductive as it can halt or slow down your progress. And of course, pushing your body too much, too quickly can result in muscle tears and back aches.
Taking care of your body while working out:
Make sure to give yourself a cool-down period after intense workouts to stop your muscles from becoming tight and sore
Give your body enough time to recover in between workouts and strenuous exercises to ensure you don’t overexert yourself.
Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too far.
Get Chiropractic Care for Better Spinal Alignment and to Prevent Chronic Pain
The best course of action for correcting any of these issues is to seek out professional advice and treatment to get your back and spine on the right track again. A chiropractor can help realign and correct your posture, especially if you have been used to doing the things above. On top of that, they can also give you personalised advice and simple at-home tips specific to your condition for better pain management and to ensure your spine is protected in the long run.
But beyond all that, even if we take care and try our best to maintain proper posture, it is always useful to go in to get a maintenance check from your chiropractor. It’s the small everyday habits that have the biggest effects, so having guidance and care from a certified chiropractor will definitely be beneficial for your overall health and well-being.
If you’re long overdue for a visit to a chiropractor, book an appointment with us today!
Sources:
https://www.masp.org.my/index.cfm?menuid=14
https://www.goodpath.com/learn/avoid-tech-neck
https://www.healthline.com/health/best-sleeping-position#takeaway
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/working-from-home-posture-back-pain
https://www.consumerreports.org/health-wellness/how-to-correct-your-binge-watch-posture/
https://blog.dacadoo.com/2017/06/21/how-can-you-avoid-pain-at-the-gym/