If you currently have or have had back pain, you need to understand how trivial things in life can cause bigger issues. But you are not alone. You would be surprised to know that according to American Chiropractic Association, up to 84% of Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their life. Sometimes you know the root cause, and sometimes it could be merely a discomfort that gets worse over time.
However, the commonest cause among men are sitting on their wallets. Ever realized that a wallet that takes care of all the money you make could cause trouble as well? An average American spends over 9 hours a day sitting on it. Sitting with a wallet in the back pocket causes one hip to sit higher and creates a pelvis tilt. Because of this, you sit lopsided and round your back, which puts even more stress on the spine, causing scoliosis (side-ward bending of the spine). It can even cause you to slouch, with slumped shoulders, possibly leading to back, neck, and shoulder pain.
The altered curvature is only temporary initially but gets permanent with time, causing multiple spinal problems. It is one of the main reasons for sciatica. Sitting on a wallet can cause the sciatic nerve to get pinched between your wallet and hip. Eventually, a person may feel radiating pain in the hip & back. As the sciatic nerve descends to the lower thigh and legs, it may cause numbness in the feet, lower leg, and ankle, causing difficulty in lying down, walking around as well as sitting comfortably.
What Should You Do?
Well, giving a diet plan to your “FAT” wallet by starting to earn less is never an option.
Some simple steps can be followed:
- * Switch your wallet position from back to the front pocket
- * Place the wallet on your workstation/desk while sitting to work at the office
- * Remove the wallet from the back pocket before sitting to drive
- * Stick to slim wallets or money clips that hold only the essentials
- * Limit sitting to 30 minutes at a time, as prolonged sitting can cause increased pressure in the back and hip region
- * Do stretching and strengthening exercises for your back
- * Awareness of proper body mechanics can prevent years of aches and pains. Avoid all situations that may cause uncalled for or undue stress and pain
- * Physical therapy is bliss when it comes to backache
Don’t stay an ignorant victim to back pain; deal with it the smart way… Choose wisely!!
