Why sitting for a long time can make spondylolisthesis pain worse
Many people who suffer from spondylolisthesis or spondylolysis complain of pain after sitting for an extended period of time. Pain can appear after sitting in a comfortable recliner, ergonomic work chair, firm kitchen chair, or even after sleeping (especially when you are on your side with your knees bent toward your chest). To help you feel more comfortable, you need to understand how sitting can cause unnecessary problems.
THE REASONS
The appearance of pain after sitting for a long time is related to a battle that is being fought with certain muscle groups. Generally, you have muscle groups along the front of your body that play a tug of war with opposing muscle groups along the back of your body. The “rope” caught in the middle is your spine.
It is important to maintain an even balance of flexibility between these two opposing areas. If one group becomes hyperactive and tense, it can lead the opposing group into adaptive lengthening, creating a kind of weakness. These changes result in an imbalance that puts unwanted stress on some very sensitive areas, such as the already compromised spine.
THINK ABOUT POSTURE
Now let’s think about two important questions. First, what does your posture look like when you’re sitting down? Second, how often do you sit still during the day?
Most people will sit hunched over. The knees will be bent and the shoulders will be rounded forward (pay attention to how it looks after 15 minutes of typing or searching the internet. It is a good bet that your body falls into this position).
A typical day for most people goes something like this: sitting down to eat, watching television, driving, working in the office or learning in the classroom, watching more television, and working or playing on the computer. It’s safe to say that we sit for MUCH longer periods during the day compared to standing or walking. In today’s technology-driven world, we spend more time sitting than ever.
WHAT HAPPENS WHILE YOU’RE SITTING?
All those hours spent sitting add up and the muscles in the front of your hips tighten. Once tense, these muscles will create an abnormal pull on your pelvis when you stand up. Ideally, these muscles work at an appropriate length to help support and move the pelvis when standing.
Sitting in soft chairs or leaning forward also lengthens the muscles that run the length of your spine. Muscles that continually lengthen will reflexively counterattack as they go into spasms. This is why the back muscles can feel tense and sore so often; they feel tense because they are trying to return to their normal length rather than staying stretched out due to poor posture.
Meanwhile, the deep muscles in your hips also tighten when you sit with your feet off the ground. This makes your legs swing outward adaptively. On top of that, the muscles along the back of the hip (the powerful gluteal muscles) get lazy in a sense – they don’t have to work to support your body in the sitting position because the chair is doing the work. for you. Then when you stand up, the tight, deep muscles in your hip further influence the misuse of your glutes.
The problems are starting to pile up, but that’s not all …
The muscles in the front of your chest tighten when you are hunched over while reading or typing on your computer. This will influence two more problems: 1) the muscles in the upper back adaptively lengthen and weaken, and 2) the shoulders are rounded forward due to the pull of the chest muscles.
The end result is a spine with exaggerated curves, not the way the spine wants to be in order to work and absorb stress successfully!
WHICH SIDE WINS THE BATTLE?
As you can see, the battle is won by the muscles in the front of the body. And like it or not, you’re providing the ammo by sitting for long periods of time during the day, especially if you give in to poor posture.
This combination creates the perfect storm for more stress on the spine!
When you finally stand up, the muscles that support your spine and other joints become a bit confused. Some are tight, others are elongated. Some are hyperactive and others will activate inappropriately, which you can describe as weak. Standing or changing positions can provide an initial sense of relief. But eventually, these confusing muscles won’t be able to support your spine and joints the way they were designed. The end result is a lack of support and stress management on the joints.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
When it comes to decreasing the amount of pain associated with having a spondylolisthesis or spondylolysis, your best option is to strategically reduce the actions that increase symptoms and improve the flexibility and strength of the areas affected by these actions.
Don’t just include a few random spondylolisthesis exercises that you think might work. You’re only adding fuel to your painful fire if you don’t perform these exercises correctly or in the proper order. Instead, add safe and effective stretching techniques to your workout that target the muscle groups outlined above. The combination of stretching and a shorter session will make you feel so much better!