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Low Back
Pain in
a
Sitting
Culture
Usually,
our feet
hurt
from
standing
too
long.
But
often,
foot
pain can
be
attributed
to too
much
sitting.
Every
day I
see
people
who want
a
massage
for
pleasure.
Instead,
they
find
their
way to
our
office
with
chronic
low back
pain.
Oftentimes,
their
back
pain
gets
worse
after a
long
drive,
flight,
or
after a
ten-hour
marathon
in front
of the
computer.
As a
sitting
culture,
our
bodies
have a
lot to
complain
about.
Only in
the past
century
have
our
bodies
had to
spend
more
time
sitting
than
shifting,
reaching,
bending,
squatting,
lifting,
and
resting.
As our
culture
becomes
more
technologically
advanced,
we
depend
less and
less on
our
bodies
for
everyday
functions.
They
become
those
machines
that get
us from
our bed
to our
car and
our car
to our
next
activity.
Well,
you’ve
heard
the
mantra
before -
“use it
or lose
it.”
This
applies
to the
body as
well.
It takes
about
two
minutes
to
circulate
blood
through
your
body.
Blood is
a fluid
that
transports
healthy
nutrients
and
oxygen
to the
connective
tissues
of the
body,
those
tissues
that
stiffen,
ache,
and pain
after a
long day
sitting.
Blood
also
transports
irritating
waste
products
away
from the
connective
tissues
so they
can be
removed
from the
body.
It
takes
joint
and
muscle
movement
for a
healthy
amount
of
“tissue
wash”
to take
place in
the
body.
Imagine
rinsing
out a
filthy
sponge.
You
squeeze
the
sponge,
but it
takes a
few
times to
completely
flush
out the
filth
from the
sponge.
Your
tissues
are just
like
that.
Every
time you
move
your
joints,
they are
flushed
with
fresh
nutrients,
heat,
and
oxygen.
So, take
this
lesson
with you
the next
time you
want to
sit.
Your
body
needs to
get up.
Give it
some
attention
too!
Here are
some
helpful
suggestions
to
nurture
your
body in
a
sitting
culture.
1.
Take
a 10
second
range
of
motion
break
every
30
minutes.
Yes,
10
seconds
does
make
a
difference!
Get
up
and
MOVE.
It’s
not
a
great
idea
to
just
tie
yourself
to
one
position
for
more
than
20
minutes
at a
time.
2.
Learn
a
two-minute
range
of
motion
routine.
Many
yoga
lovers
are
already
familiar
with
one--the
Sun
Salutation.
3.
Ask
your
personal
trainer
to
show
you
hip
flexor
stretches.
These
use
muscles
such
as
the
quadriceps
and
iliopsoas.
4.
Attend
Pilates
classes
regularly.
5.
Request
that
your
massage
therapist
perform
range
of
motion
techniques
during
your
session.
6.
Become
aware
of
your
sitting
postures.
It’s
OK
to
slouch
from
time
to
time,
but
chronically
abusing
this
posture
wreaks
havoc
on
your
spine.
Imagine
tying
a
board
to
your
back
and
anchoring
it
by
your
sacrum
and
your
mid-back.
Every
time
you
slouch
in
your
chair,
you
break
the
board
and
begin
to
build
up
strain
in
your
low
back.
7.
After
a
long
car
trip,
give
your
muscles
a
chance
to
shake
off
their
fatigue
before
you
remove
the
heavy
luggage
from
the
back
of
your
car.
8.
Receive
a
Trager
session.
This
unique
form
of
bodywork
intertwines
thousands
of
joint
movements
in
one
session.
Not only
will you
rejuvenate
your
joints,
muscles,
and
spine,
your
concentration
and joy
will
return
as well.
Less
pain and
tension
means
more
energy
and fun.
Now, go
do some
arm and
neck
circles!
 Laura
Landsiedel
is
Co-Owner
of Hands
on
Health
medical
massage
therapy.
She is a
1993
graduate
of
Bucknell
University
with a
BS in
Behavioral
Science.
In 1996,
Laura
graduated
from the
Carolina
School
of
Massage
Therapy.
She is a
nationally
certified
and
licensed
massage
(NC LMBT
#1204)and
bodywork
therapist
and
holds
and
advanced
certification
as a St.
John
neuromuscular
massage
therapist.
Laura
has
additional
training
in
pregnancy
& infant
massage
and
Doula
labor
support.
In
addition
to a
full
time
practice
in
bodywork,
Laura
teaches
professional
development,
ethics,
and deep
tissue
technique
at the
Medical
Arts
Massage
School
in
Raleigh,
NC.
Hands On
Health
is a
group
massage
therapy
practice
that
provides
exceptionally
trained
therapists
who
employ
techniques
that
range
from
medical
techniques
such as
Rolfing
&
Structural
Integration
and St.
John
neuromuscular
massage
therapy
to
relaxation
techniques
such as
Swedish
massage
and hot
stone
therapy.
As a
group
practice
with
more
than 5
practitioners,
Hands On
Health
can
accommodate
same-day
appointments
and
same-time
appointments
for
friends
and
family
members.
Her
practice
can be
contacted
by
visiting
www.handsonhealthNC.com
Article
published
in the
NC
Journal
for
Women
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