Why sitting for a long time can make spondylolisthesis pain worse
Website design By BotEap.comMany people who suffer from spondylolisthesis or spondylolysis complain of pain after sitting for a prolonged period of time. The pain can continue to sit in a comfortable recliner, ergonomic work chair, firm kitchen chair, or even after sleeping (especially when lying on your side with your knees drawn up toward your chest). To help you feel more comfortable, you need to understand how sitting down can cause unnecessary problems.
Website design By BotEap.comTHE REASONS
Website design By BotEap.comThe appearance of pain after sitting for a long time is related to a battle that takes place with certain muscle groups. In general, you have muscle groups along the front of your body that are playing a game of tug of war with the opposing muscle groups along the back of your body. The “rope” caught in the middle is your spine.
Website design By BotEap.comIt is important to maintain an even balance of flexibility between these two opposing areas. If one group becomes hyper and tight, it can cause the opposing group to adaptively elongate, which creates a kind of weakness. These changes result in an imbalance that puts unwanted stress on some very sensitive areas, such as the already compromised spine.
Website design By BotEap.comTHINK ABOUT THE POSTURE
Website design By BotEap.comNow, let’s think about two important questions. First, what does your posture look like when you’re sitting? Second, how often do you sit during the day?
Website design By BotEap.comMost people will sit in a slouched position. Knees will be bent and shoulders rounded forward (pay attention to how you look after 15 minutes of typing or searching the internet. It’s a good bet your body will fall into this position).
Website design By BotEap.comA typical day for most people goes something like this: sitting down to eat, watching TV, driving, working in the office or learning in the classroom, watching more TV, and working or playing on the computer. It’s safe to say that we sit for MUCH longer periods throughout the day compared to standing or walking. In today’s technology-driven world, we spend more time sitting down than ever before!
Website design By BotEap.comWHAT HAPPENS WHILE YOU’RE SITTING
Website design By BotEap.comAll those hours spent sitting add up and the muscles in the front of your hips get tight. Once tense, these muscles will create an abnormal pull on the pelvis when you stand up. Ideally, these muscles work at an adequate length to help provide support and movement to your pelvis when you are standing.
Website design By BotEap.comSitting in soft chairs or leaning forward also lengthens the muscles that run along the spine. Muscles that are continually lengthening will reflexively counterattack by going into spasm. That’s why your back muscles can feel tight and sore so often: They feel tight because they’re trying to get back to their normal length instead of staying stretched out due to poor posture.
Website design By BotEap.comMeanwhile, the deep muscles in your hips also tighten when you sit with your feet off the ground. This causes their legs to adaptively turn outward. On top of that, the muscles along the back of your hip (the powerful gluteal muscles) become lazy in a sense: they don’t have to work to hold your body in the sitting position because the chair is doing the work. for you. Then when you stand up, tight deep hip muscles play a further role in misusing the glutes.
Website design By BotEap.comProblems start to pile up, but that’s not all…
Website design By BotEap.comThe muscles in the front of your chest tighten when you are hunched over while reading or typing on your computer. This will influence two more problems: 1) the upper back muscles adaptively lengthen and weaken, and 2) the shoulders are rounded forward by the force of the chest muscles.
Website design By BotEap.comThe end result is a spine with exaggerated curves, not the shape the spine wants to be in to work and successfully absorb stress!
Website design By BotEap.comWHICH SIDE WINS THE BATTLE?
Website design By BotEap.comAs you can see, the battle is being won by the muscles in the front of the body. And like it or not, you’re providing ammunition by sitting for prolonged periods throughout the day, especially if you give in to poor posture.
Website design By BotEap.comThis combination creates the perfect storm for more spinal stress!
Website design By BotEap.comWhen you finally stand up, the muscles that support your spine and other joints are somewhat confused. Some are tight, some are elongated. Some are too active and some will activate inappropriately, which you can describe as weak. Standing or changing position can provide an initial sense of relief. But eventually, these tangled muscles won’t be able to support the spine and joints the way they were intended. The end result is a lack of joint support and stress management.
Website design By BotEap.comWHAT YOU CAN DO
Website design By BotEap.comWhen it comes to decreasing the amount of pain associated with having a spondylolisthesis or spondylolysis, your best bet is to strategically reduce the actions that increase your symptoms and improve the flexibility and strength of the areas affected by these actions.
Website design By BotEap.comDon’t just include some random spondylolisthesis exercises that you think might work. You are only adding fuel to your painful fire if you do not perform these exercises correctly or in the correct order. Instead, add safe and effective stretching techniques to your workout that focus on the muscle groups described above. Combining stretching and sitting less will make you feel much better!