Having ‘good’ posture doesn’t prevent back pain, and ‘bad’ posture doesn’t cause it

Mon, 5 Sep 2022 11:36:49 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/having-good-posture-doesnt-prevent-back-pain-and-bad-posture-doesnt-cause-it-183732>

"Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Most people experience
an episode of back pain in their lifetime. It often emerges during adolescence
and becomes more common in adults.

For 25% of people who develop back pain, it can become persistent, disabling
and distressing. It can affect a person’s ability to participate in activities
of daily living, physical activity and work. Activities such as sitting,
standing, bending and lifting frequently aggravate back pain.

There is a common belief that “good” posture is important to protect the spine
from damage, as well as prevent and treat back pain. Good posture is commonly
defined as sitting “upright”, standing “tall and aligned”, and lifting with a
squat technique and “straight back”.

Conversely, “slump” sitting, “slouch” standing and lifting with a “round back”
or stooped posture are frequently warned against. This view is widely held by
people with and without back pain, as well as clinicians in both occupational
health and primary care settings.

Surprisingly, there is a lack of evidence for a strong relationship between
“good” posture and back pain. Perceptions of “good” posture originate from a
combination of social desirability and unfounded presumptions.

Systematic reviews (studies looking at a number of studies in one area) have
found ergonomic interventions for workers, and advice for manual workers on the
best posture for lifting, have not reduced work-related back pain."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

Comment via email

Home E-Mail Sponsors Index Search About Us