Three problems with Sitting.

Happy Tuesday ?? it’s edition 12 of the weekly newsletter.

As the subscribers continue to grow each week. I am forever grateful to everyone taking the time to read it.

For the past few weeks we have covered various problems in the body. Well, this week let’s continue that trend.

Your body is not meant to be sedentary for extended periods. It is designed for movement and thrives on it. The consequences of prolonged sitting can be detrimental to your health, but fear not, there are ways to mitigate its effects. By taking action to correct these issues, you can empower yourself to take charge of your physical well-being and optimise your body's full potential.

To begin assessing clients, my first protocol is to evaluate their current movement capabilities. The squat, with arms raised overhead, is a highly effective movement for this purpose. By observing this movement, I can identify any issues related to the lower extremities, lumbar pelvic hip complex, and upper body.

To further assess the squat pattern, I test various modifications to determine if they can enhance the freedom of movement. By pinpointing any problem areas and improving the squat pattern with appropriate modifications, I can gain valuable insights into the client's movement patterns and potential areas of concern.

For instance, if a client was showing signs of their body collapsing forwards on the squat then I raised their heels up and it stops the falling forwards, then we can say it’s down to issues in the ankles and calves.

The squat is a movement of the body which everyone should be able to do.

But, the more we chose to sit down the more the body adapts to that seated position. I’ve seen thousands of clients in my time as a coach, and everyone moves different but, the common signs of dysfunction are very similar.

If you are desk bound for long hours, there are numerous problems arising.

I classed the most common ones into three fun characters.

1. Donald Duck Syndrome. This dysfunction pattern relates to an anterior pelvic tilt.

A prevalent concern associated with Anterior Pelvic Tilt is the occurrence of lower back pain, which can be attributed to hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine. This condition arises when the lumbar spine aligns with the pelvis' dropped position, causing the muscles surrounding the lower back to overwork and tense up, resulting in discomfort and pain.

There is an imbalance in the lower cross of the body. Short hip flexors, weak glutes abdominals and tight erector spine muscles.

A good way to start to help this problem is by stretching the hip flexors…

This of course is a problem that can be addressed with the correct exercise prescription.

2. The second dysfunction is a posterior pelvic tilt. Which I call Pink Panther syndrome.

A posterior pelvic tilt is the opposite to the anterior pelvic tilt. As you can see from the image below, the difference in pelvis position between the two.

The typical muscle imbalance scenario that causes posterior pelvic tilt involves tight hamstrings, glutes and lower abdominal muscles coupled with weak?quadriceps, psoas and lower back muscles.

A good place to start is by foam rolling the Glutes to relieve the tightness

Again the correct exercise prescription can solve this dysfunction.

3. The final problem is Quasimodo syndrome. Or Kyphosis.

Kyphosis is?an exaggerated, forward rounding of the upper back. In older people, kyphosis is often due to weakness in the spinal bones that causes them to compress or crack. Other types of kyphosis can appear in infants or teens due to malformation of the spine or wedging of the spinal bones over time.

I can safely say from desk working that the main issue is shortened anterior muscles such as the chest (pecs) and shoulders (deltoids). These muscles become short meaning the muscles in the back and neck become long and under active.

One of the best exercises you can start with if you are experiencing pain in the upper back or shoulders is the Pec Minor release…

Followed by the chest stretch…

Of course, I wouldn’t want anyone reading this newsletter to self diagnose the root cause of their pain problems and this is of course just a guide and education.

If you would want any further help you can visit my pages here…

For help with your body if you are desk bound

If you are struggling with pain or injury and partake in physical activity

That's it for this weeks newsletter ?? any questions then just reach out.

#ergonomics #businessowner #posture