Posture, telework, sedentary lifestyle ... How to spare your back on a daily basis?

Thanks to confinement and teleworking, back pain has become more and more recurrent.

Bad posture, prolonged sitting position, sedentary lifestyle ... Guest of Europe 1, Thursday, rheumatologist Charley Cohen gave some advice to listeners in order to spare their backs on a daily basis.

How to relieve back pain, what some call "the evil of the century" and about which we speak more since teleworking became the rule?

Guest from Europe 1, Thursday, rheumatologist Charley Cohen, author of the book 

Back pain, all pain relief solutions.

For the whole family

(editions Guy Trédaniel), returned to the different types of back pain from which patients may suffer, before providing some advice.

Among them: to move.

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Quickly consult

If we talk about back pain, in general, there are actually several types of back pain, the causes and treatments of which vary, recalls Doctor Charley Cohen, referring to the three stages of the spine: "the pains of the lumbar region, pain between the shoulder blades and neck pain ".

This back pain is also caused by radiation, when a nerve inflames and causes sciatica, going down to the foot (in the case of lower back pain), or to the hand (if it s it is neck pain).

In all cases, these pains can be linked to "poor movement, poorly executed lifting efforts, excessive stress, sedentary lifestyle, or prolonged sitting", specifies the rheumatologist, at the microphone of Europe 1.

"If the pain is repetitive, it is better to consult so as not to miss something", repeats Doctor Charly Cohen, drawing particular attention to "the pains that wake up at night".

Indeed, if it persists, the pain becomes chronic and can have a psychological impact resulting in depressive disorders and worsening of the pain.

What "disturb the quality of family life, marital, but also at work", explains the guest.

"The longer the sick leave, the more chance there is of chronicity, so the patient must be treated as quickly as possible."

Keep moving

"When pain is chronic, rest is harmful," recalls the rheumatologist, citing the risks of muscle wasting, bone loss and a feeling of isolation.

According to him, "the best treatment is movement": you have to move, stay active, but be careful not to practice too brutal sport.

Physiotherapists have a very important role in preventing recurrence and consultation is also part of the treatment of acute crisis, in order to massage, stretch and strengthen the muscles.

But the patient can, and must, work at his own level to strengthen and preserve his back.

For this, explains Doctor Charly Cohen, it is above all a question of "avoiding movements in hyperflexion, in hyper rotation, and sudden movements" in order to save the curvatures of the back, but also to use his lower limbs and supports.

"You unload your spine, you take support, repeats the doctor." When you have to carry a load, you have to carry it close to the body: unloading your spine means keeping its three curvatures straight.

Sit better, choose your bedding, and control your weight

The main problem linked to teleworking, sitting and bad postures contribute to making back pain more and more recurrent.

So much so that Dr Charley Cohen considers sitting "a big problem in our society".

The reason ?

We don't know how to sit, which is a source of muscle weakness.

"We must have the lower back well glued to the backrest, especially not have a round back, and not have the head forward", explains the rheumatologist.

"You have to take breaks every hour, get up, stretch, move, change positions, take support, avoid twisting your neck when you are on the phone."

And the small gestures that save the lumbar, shoulder blades and neck extend to the choice of his pillow and mattress.

To fill cervical lordosis, you need a small pillow, ideally an ergonomic pillow with a hole for the head.

As for the bed, the mattress must be moderately firm and adapted to the patient's weight, even if it means sleeping two members of a couple on two different mattresses, specifies the rheumatologist.

Weight has a very important role in preventing back pain, insists Doctor Charly Cohen.

"The overweight will have an impact on the lower back, the weight-bearing joints: knees, hips, feet", he explains, adding that overweight worsens arthritis lesions of the disc and posterior joints.

Hence the importance, according to him, "to act on the weight and to have a good diet when you have back pain".