Back Pain = Mystery of the Universe

Have you ever been harped on for poor posture? "Sit up straight!", "Quit slouching!"...the list goes on and on. Well, sit up straight no more, my friends! According to new research conducted by Scottish and Canadian researchers, sitting with a perky 90° angle between your thighs and back creates a great amount of strain on the lower back. This is good news for us (sometimes) lazy, sleep-deprived, chin-in-palm, college students! 

Researches at the Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland concluded that the ideal position, while seated, to prevent chronic back pain is leaning back slightly to make a 135° angle between your thighs and back. Research was conducted on participants who were asked to sit for hours at a time in three different positions: slouching with shoulders forward, up-right (90° angle), and relaxed (135° angle). As each of the positions were adopted, movement between spinal discs was analyzed and recorded. While in the relaxed position, misalignment by the nucleus pulposus was very minimal making this position ideal for those who sit for longer periods of time. 

Sufferers of upper cervical to lower lumbar back pain may, however, find relief through sessions of Spinal Decompression. This is a technique used most commonly among chiropractors to release the tension due to herniated discs and other vertebral subluxations. Although there is no definitive evidence that this provides relief from pain, many patients see relief after their fifth or sixth 20-minute session. Patients are also instructed to adopt a core-strengthening regimen to target the postural muscles.

Food for thought: Most back related injuries occur during the winter months while shoveling snow. The best ways to avoid these injuries are to face the load you are lifting, place the larger amount of weight closest to your body and to lift in line with your center of gravity as to not strain your muscles or tendons unevenly; and, as with any exercise (because snow shoveling does count as exercise!) a proper warm-up is recommended. 

So until next time, slouch more and shovel safely!
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I focused on my audience while composing this post and also the advice Mr. Olson gave us in his book Don't Be Such a Scientist: "Broad Audiences Prefer Style over Substance". I opened with a goofy, rhetorical question to hook the reader; moved into a bit of the objective research; mentioned a technique used for treatment; and ended with relatable information in which I titled "Food for Thought" and finally signed off with a (slightly) sarcastic farewell.