Learn how to get Fit and Prevent Injury Here

Hunched over your desk all day at the office? “Computer Posture” is leading to more and more cases of back pain in the population and is something that most of us will experience at some stage in our lives. Although back pain can affect people at any age, it is most common between the age of 35 and 55 years old. Those that have experienced back pain will agree that it can significantly affect daily activities and quality of life.

Good News! T8 Fitness has a large variety of fitness products that provide low impact exercise, perfect for minimizing your chances of getting back pain. Check out: http://www.t8fitness.com/collections/office to view these amazing and affordable products. You can also see our recommendations below.

First of all…what are some of the risk factors for back pain?

• A mentally stressful job
• Pregnancy - pregnant women are likely to experience back pain
• A sedentary lifestyle (inactive/lack of exercise)
• Age - older adults are more susceptible than young adults or children
• Anxiety or Depression
• Obesity/being overweight
• Strenuous physical exercise (especially if not done properly)

So what causes back pain? Your back is a pretty complex structure made from muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs and bones. The soft bits between your vertebrae are cushioned with cartilage-like pads. Problems with any of these components can lead to back pain.

Strainsare the most common cause of back pain.

• Strained muscles
• Strained ligaments
• Lifting something improperly
• Lifting something that is too heavy
• The result of an abrupt and awkward movement
• A muscle spasm

There are some more serious structural problems that can cause back pain, such as: ruptured disks, sciatica, arthritis, osteoporosis and more.

What can I do to prevent back pain?

There are a number of steps that will help lower the risk of back pain. Incorporating simply daily exercise routines and having a healthy diet can lower these risk factors.

Exercise: This is the most obvious way to lower the risk of back pain. A daily exercise regime will build strength and lower you body weight. Low impact aerobic routines are best – basically any type of activity that does not involve straining or jerking your back.  

• Core-strengthening exercises: exercises that work the abdominal and back muscles, help strengthen muscles which protect your back.

EXAMPLE: THE “WAITRESS”

Exercise: Sitting directly on top of your “sitting bones”. Position your arms at right angles with your elbows at the side of your waist and palms facing upwards. Gently move your hands to the side opening up the chest. Try this with a small hand towel or better yet a Resistance Band for extra challenge to the external rotators of the shoulder.

Benefit: Strengthens supportive back muscles essential for good posture and opens up the chest.

• Flexibility - exercises aimed at improving flexibility in your hips and upper legs may help too.

EXAMPLE: THE CROSS OVER

Exercise: Sit on your chair a little away from your desk. Remember to sit up on your “sitting bones” (this requires extra deep abdominal support). Cross one leg over the other at a bent angle (make sure you are not wearing a skirt for this one!). Place your hands on your desk. Position your “sitting bones” behind you, lift up your tummy and move your spine forward over your desk. Feel the stretch in the back of your thighs and glutes (the muscles in your posterior).

Benefits: Releases tightness and tension through the lower back by releasing tension in the glutes which are often the culprit with regard to LB Pain.

So there you have it. Minimise your risk of back pain by staying in shape, eating properly and maintaining a suitable exercise regime!

Products we recommend:

• Magic Back Support (to assist with posture)
• Acuback (Massage, pain relief and mysofascial release)
• Foam Roller (Massage, pain relief and mysofascial release)
• Resitance Bands and Tubes (to help strengthen the supportive back muscles, essential for good posture, and opens up the chest)

Don’t forget to visit http://www.t8fitness.com/collections/office to view our wide variety of fitness products! 

在辨公室工作的你是否經常駝背並且沒有正確的坐姿？其實大部份都市人的背痛都是因不良坐姿所引起的，這問題在香港十分普遍。一般情況下，三十五至五十五歲會是背痛最嚴重的時期。但其實任何年紀的人亦有機會被背痛問題困擾，所以大家必須要防範於未然，否則背痛會嚴重影響各位日常生活及生活素質！

好消息！

T8 Fitness 能為你提供各款健身器材，透過輕鬆而簡單的低負重運動去減低患上背痛的機會。

各款超值新穎的健身器材都可於http://www.t8fitness.com/collections/office網中找到，歡迎大家瀏覽。

以下有更多背痛的資訊帶給大家：

引起背痛的潛在因素有什麼？

• 壓力大的工作
• 懷孕 (孕婦較容易受背痛困擾)
• 缺乏運動
• 年齡 (背痛的機會隨年紀上升)
• 情緒低落
• 體重超標
• 高強度運動 (如姿勢不當風險更大)

背痛的成因是什麼？

背部的構造非常複雜，由肌肉、韌帶、肌腱、椎間盤及骨骼組成。脊骨間亦有軟骨承托。以上任何部份出現問題皆會引致背痛。

背痛最常見的原因是身體勞損。

• 肌肉勞損
• 韌帶勞損
• 以不正確姿勢舉物品
• 舉過重的物品
• 做不自然的動作
• 肌肉抽筋

另外，一些嚴重的背部結構性問題亦會造成背痛，如椎間盤受損、坐骨神經痛、關節炎及骨質疏鬆症等等。

如何預防背痛？

預防背痛方法有很多，其實每天做適量運動並配合均衡飲食便能大大減低患上背痛的風險。

運動：

這是最直接預防背痛的方法。持之以恆的運動能鍛鍊體力和保持體重。理想的運動類型是低強度的帶氧運動，因為它不會為背部帶來太大的壓力。

核心肌肉鍛鍊運動: 這類運動能鍛鍊腹肌和背肌以防止背部受傷。

例：「女侍應」

1. 坐直，把上身的重心放在盤骨
2. 手臂平放身旁
3. 手肘與手臂成直角舉起，手掌和手腕向天
4. 慢慢地把手移向身體兩側，打開胸膛

另外，這運動可配合手帕或阻力帶以加強對臂膀的訓練

功用: 強化背部支撐良好坐姿的肌肉；擴闊胸膛

柔軟度鍛鍊運動: 這類運動能提升臀部及大腿的柔軟度，對預防背痛亦有幫助。

例：「交叉伸展」

1. 在椅子上坐直，把上身的重心放在盤骨 (椅子和桌子之間需有適當距離)
2. 把左/右腳疊在另一腳上，角度隨意，舒適便可 (穿裙的要小心喔)
3. 身體向前伸展，把手放在桌子上
4. 盤骨向後移，收腹，然後把脊骨向前推至枱上
5. 大腿內側和臀部的肌肉會感到被拉緊

功用: 放鬆臀部並釋放下背部的壓力以防止背痛

要謹記，保持身型、健康飲食和持久而恆的運動習慣是防止背痛出現的三大法則！