Posture for a Healthy Back • Hacker News Board

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#81

Post by lkiernan » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 4:19 PM UTC

richmt wrote: post #41

hellbanner wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for saying this - another reminder to do more core (got down and planked). What exercises did you find most beneficial for strengthening? On a related note -- I periodically do stretches where I stand on one leg and roll my hip & waist out to the side extending it behind me -- that helps alleviate tension in the side. Similar - hanging on my forearms from chairs or those ab machines at the gym. Pain Free (a me…

I hear lots of discussion that deadlifting with proper form strengthens the core. Also, being a compound lift, you'll hit tons of other muscle groups as well. Mark rippetoe's book on starting strength is a great read on how to execute compound barbell exercises like the deadlift, and also has some great information on things like progressive overload. I'd recommend it even if you don't plan on following the starting…

In case anybody cares, IMO it's a great book but not a great read!

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#82

Post by mjlangiii » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 4:25 PM UTC

vdnkh wrote: post #58

draven wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same can be said about the squat, since you have to contract your core to maintain your spine in a correct position. Anecdotal data point: my lower back pain disappears when I squat regularly.

I've been lifting for a few years now and I really dislike the cargo cult mentality when it comes to heavy lifts, mainly barbell deadlift and squats. If you're not trying to become an olympic lifter, barbell squats and deadlifts will do more harm than good. There is a significant chance of injury if you perform these lifts improperly, and it's hard to know when you're doing them right. There are good alternatives to…

Well, there is a basic risk/reward here. If you just do arm curls working one muscle group and you'll be pretty safe but you won't be getting much return on your overall physical health. The deadlift involves your whole body and so you are increasing your surface area or exposure to risk of injury. But that was the whole point of recommending the deadlift in the first place, it works the whole body with one basic movement. And the movement is one of the most basic human movements, to squat down and stand up with a load. There are risky exercises that you should generally avoid. But standing up with a barbell in your hands is a well designed exercise where your body is just doing what it is optimally designed to do. The problem isn't the movement it is ignorance about the body in general and your body's movement in particular.

I think a compromise to your point (e.g. safer alternatives are better than deadlifting) is that advice to do heavy barbell lifts should come with the warning that injury can happen easily and be serious and/or permanent. Proper posture is best learned from someone who is experienced and that you trust your well being to.

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#83

Post by mjlangiii » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 4:27 PM UTC

lkiernan wrote: post #81

richmt wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hear lots of discussion that deadlifting with proper form strengthens the core. Also, being a compound lift, you'll hit tons of other muscle groups as well. Mark rippetoe's book on starting strength is a great read on how to execute compound barbell exercises like the deadlift, and also has some great information on things like progressive overload. I'd recommend it even if you don't plan on following the starting…

In case anybody cares, IMO it's a great book but not a great read!

That book is a great starting point but can be dangerous by itself, you need to hear other points of view and balance out your understanding of the lifts with further research.

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#84

Post by Jtsummers » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 4:36 PM UTC

theseatoms wrote: post #73

hellbanner wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for saying this - another reminder to do more core (got down and planked). What exercises did you find most beneficial for strengthening? On a related note -- I periodically do stretches where I stand on one leg and roll my hip & waist out to the side extending it behind me -- that helps alleviate tension in the side. Similar - hanging on my forearms from chairs or those ab machines at the gym. Pain Free (a me…

I recommend yoga, and I'm surprised that no one else has done so yet ITT.

Only because I hadn't gotten here yet. I also recommend yoga, but be aware that certain positions can aggravate back problems. Cobra, in particular, aggravated my back pain so I skipped it in class until I finished my PT from an injury 2 years back.

If you have joint, neck, back or muscle issues, ask your instructor for modifications that will work better for you. If they're competent they'll help you get into a good pose that won't cause other problems later on. Think limping when you've got a sore or injured leg, it causes back and hip problems or problems in the other leg if you limp too much. The same thing can happen with a poor choice of a modified yoga pose.

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#85

Post by m_t » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 4:48 PM UTC

theseatoms wrote: post #73

hellbanner wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for saying this - another reminder to do more core (got down and planked). What exercises did you find most beneficial for strengthening? On a related note -- I periodically do stretches where I stand on one leg and roll my hip & waist out to the side extending it behind me -- that helps alleviate tension in the side. Similar - hanging on my forearms from chairs or those ab machines at the gym. Pain Free (a me…

I recommend yoga, and I'm surprised that no one else has done so yet ITT.

I wish I could support this claim more.

Yoga has been a great help for me since I started. I used to just run, but doing yoga really helped with strengthening the core muscles and changing my posture (at work, while walking, etc.)

And to repeat what Jtsummers said, always do the exercics right, at your own level. Just like with any sport-like activity, you can injure yourself quite easily.

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#86

Post by wishinghand » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 4:59 PM UTC

molladair wrote: post #46

eevilspock wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This one says sitting straight is bad, that a 35% lean back is ideal: http://mashable.com/2011/05/09/sitting-down-infographic/ I have 2 blown lumbar disks, and for me at least, the 35% lean back, even if it means slouching on the couch, eliminates pain when I do have to sit for extended periods.

I work for a standing desk company ( http://www.focaluprightfurniture.com/ ) that also makes "leaning seats" to pair with standing desks. The seats keep your hips open at a 130-135° angle - like the "lean back" approach, but while standing. I've been using the setup since I started and I love it. Definitely the ideal.

I switch every hour between standing at my desk and leaning on the Mogo stool you can buy from this company. Great alternative to standing all day (tiresome, sometimes painful) to sitting all day (bad posture, induces weight gain from being sedentary). And you can still wiggle around a bit with it. I keep some blocks under my desk to help stretch my calves with while doing either.

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#87

Post by wishinghand » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 5:06 PM UTC

antognini wrote: post #67

I recently hurt my back and got interested in the anatomy of the lumbar spine and ended up reading the textbook Low Back Disorders by Stuart McGill. McGill is a professor of kinesiology at the University of Waterloo and has spent his ~30 yr research career studying the lower back. It was an informative and surprisingly interesting read! He made the point throughout the book that a lot of "common sense" clinical wisdo…

Is there an appropriate exercise for extending the muscle endurance of the back?

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#88

Post by hellbanner » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 5:18 PM UTC

mjlangiii wrote: post #83

lkiernan wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In case anybody cares, IMO it's a great book but not a great read!

That book is a great starting point but can be dangerous by itself, you need to hear other points of view and balance out your understanding of the lifts with further research.

Yes well the book recommends "Try this for 30 days and see what happens".. minimal effort, and 4.5 stars.. always additional research is good but I think the results speak for themselves!

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#89

Post by hellbanner » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 5:19 PM UTC

jerf wrote: post #28

hellbanner wrote: post #21

Rolling up t-shirts or a jacket under my wrists while I type has been tremendous for avoiding wrist pain in the day. For my back, I practice rolling my hips forward (roll your groin towards the chair), which changes which muscles are use and can alleviate low back pain.

After a lot of screwing around with desks and trays and other things, I finally just gave up and started typing with my keyboard in my lap. This has worked quite well now for a long time; everything seems to be in the correct ergonomic position, with a basic ergonomic split keyboard (though even the non-split keyboard on my laptop isn't too bad). For mouse usage, I just use it infrequently enough for this to be pract…

Are you hunched over? I use a kinesis freestyle 2 keyboard to avoid hunching over (arms spread out)

Re: Posture for a Healthy Back

#90

Post by jerf » Tue, Aug 25, 2015, 5:52 PM UTC

hellbanner wrote: post #89

jerf wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After a lot of screwing around with desks and trays and other things, I finally just gave up and started typing with my keyboard in my lap. This has worked quite well now for a long time; everything seems to be in the correct ergonomic position, with a basic ergonomic split keyboard (though even the non-split keyboard on my laptop isn't too bad). For mouse usage, I just use it infrequently enough for this to be pract…

Are you hunched over? I use a kinesis freestyle 2 keyboard to avoid hunching over (arms spread out)

No, I lean back in my chair. There's also some evidence to suggest that the "chaise longe" position is quite ergonomic, though I'm not quite that far back. I'm fairly tall, so sitting pretty & straight as the pictures show is generally not an option as even with chairs adjusted to full height I can't sit with my knees at a right angle.