Bad sitting posture can lead to back pain in three years, says physiotherapist
A professor of physiotherapy, Rufus Adedoyin, has warned that adopting a bad sitting posture over a period of three years can cause serious back pain.
Adedoyin, who is the dean of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences at Obafemi Awolowo University, also said that cooking, sweeping in certain positions can also cause back pain.
He added that people who sleep on soft beds are at risk of back pain.
Adedoyin said, “Low back pain is due to the way we use our body. The posture we adopt when we sit, if we don’t sit very well, without supporting our back, we are liable to have back pain in less than 3 years.
“If you start a bad posture today, in the next three years, it will accumulate. Especially when we work with laptops and bend the head, it would strain the back.”
Professor Adedoyin adds, “Another thing is the bed. If the bed is not firm enough, if you sleep on it, it will accumulate. In the future, it can result in back pain.”
He, however, said the posture one takes while sleeping does not affect the body, rather the softness of the bed is what causes back pain.
Adedoyin also added that the sitting posture one takes while sitting on non-ergonomic chairs can also cause back pain, noting that some of the chairs made by furniture makers do not support the back adequately.
“Those are the things that gradually accumulate and lead to back pain. Suddenly the back pain would start,” he said.
To avert developing back pain, Adedoyin urged people who work with laptops to ensure that the computer is at an eye-level ensuring that the eyes and the back are straightened.
Soft beds, he said, should also be replaced with firm beds.
He also advised people who wash and cook to do so on raised platforms so that the back would be straight while seated.
For people that sweep, he advised that a long broom instead of a short broom be used.
He however said that back pains that arise from these activities can be resolved noting that, “Anybody that has back pain can be treated. There are specific exercises for back pain which the physiotherapist can recommend.”
