Patients often ask me “when should I come back to see you?”
This is a difficult question to answer. In order to help patients self evaluate for their needs of future care, I have developed the following flow chart. Feel free to use it for your own purpose.
Please click below and download our FREE one month rehabilitation calendar. This is to help you keep yourself on track to perform the customized rehabilitation exercises that will get you better. Best of luck!
Understanding that the low back is designed to mostly be in a slight backwards extension (bending back).
This allows the facet joints to touch and hold 20% of your weight. When you sit, you still need to be slightly bending back in the low back region (i.e.: lumbar spine).
STEP 2: BAD BIOMECHANICS If you bend forward when you sit…
…you will lift the facet joints off each other and put too much weight on your discs. And notice how it bulges back from the pressure.
Eventually, too much sitting in flexion will herniate your disc.
STEP 3: GOODBIOMECHANICS If you keep your low back bending slightly backwards when you sit…
… you keep the facets touching each other, which removes pressure from the discs.
This will preserve the health of your discs. If you sit and bend backward slightly, your low back won’t know the difference between sitting or standing.
STEP 4: HOW TO SIT PROPERLY You will need a lumbar support. This is any 8 inch cylindrical object that is about the size of the fat end of a baseball bat.
STEP 5: ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS You should vary your position throughout the day.
OPTION 1: Exercise Ball Straddle ball as though you were riding a horse. This keeps your muscles activated because you are keeping your balance.
OPTION 2: Standing If you can, obtain a sit-stand desk or place your laptop on a high surface.
STEP 6: MICROBREAKS You should stop every hour (or more) to do some mild office exercises. This helps prevent overloading the low back discs or fatiguing your postural muscles.
CLICK HERE or the image below for our recommended in-office exercise program. See our many instructional videos on our YouTube channel: