Do you have a Baker's Hump?

Are you a professional baker, chef or even a tattoo artist? Constantly looking down to chop or knead away?  You may start to develop, or already have, what is known as Dowager's Hump, or a "Baker's Hump", as it is sometimes known in the culinary industry.  Standing all day in a slouched posture can wreak havoc on your spine. 

A lot of recent news articles discuss the dangers of sitting at a desk all day and how detrimental it can be to one's health.  But, standing on your feet all day in a slouched posture, can be just as harmful, causing a myriad of acute and chronic symptoms.  I've also noticed similar conditions in tattoo artists.  While, one's job may require you to be in such a poor posture for long hours day in and day out, the long-term effects can be extremely frustrating. Read through the tips below and schedule an evaluation with a chiropractor today!

What Can You Do?

• sit to chop/prepare foods if possible
• raise/lower table heights so you don't have to bend or reach up; elbows relaxed at your sides is an ideal height to chop at
• take regular stretching micro breaks before, during and after work
• set a timer to take breaks if standing/sitting too long, every 10, 20 or 30 minutes
• add a rubber floor mat to your work station; prolonged standing on hard/concrete surfaces can aggravate your symptoms and increase pain
• wear supportive/comfortable shoes
• stay hydrated; dehydrated muscles cause more pain and are more prone to injury
• use a foot stool to alternate bending one leg as needed
• make sure you square up your hips/shoulders when lifting heavy items; half kneel instead of squatting if necessary (the half kneeling position can also be helpful when plating items, etc.)
• Get adjusted by a chiropractor as needed!
• Strengthen back and gluteal muscles on a regular basis to help to counteract constant flexed/hunched posture

Image Sources: http://chefschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/sous.jpg

http://www.baker.edu/site_media/244/m/

http://www.bakerchiropractic.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Dowagers-Hump.jpg

Sitting Sucks!

I'm often asked by patients about what they can do to prevent acute or chronic back pain.  Moving every day is vital! Not just rolling out of bed, sitting in your car while driving to work, sitting 8-10 hours at work, then sitting again on your commute home, and sitting on the couch to watch TV before bed.  As a nation in general, we sit too much, hence the new "sitting is the new smoking" campaign.  Sitting diseases are a real thing.  We just aren't moving enough anymore. There's even a #sittingisthenewsmoking hashtag!

Sitting diseases are shown to reduce your life expectancy.

What are sitting diseases:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Breast and colon cancers

You also have an increased risk of:

• Forward head posture
• Forward rounded shoulders
• Hyperlordosis
• Thoracic hyperkyphosis
• Tight psoas = low back pain
• Deconditioned core and spinal musculature

Your chances of developing a sitting disease increases the more sedentary you are.

For more information, check out this article I wrote titled, 'Standing up for your Health' in 2012.

<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" about="http://www.juststand.org/tabid/674/default.aspx"><span property="dct:title">Sitting Disease Infographic 1</span> (<a rel="cc:attributionURL" property="cc:attributionName" href="http://www.ergotron.com">Ergotron</a>) / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/">CC BY 3.0</a></div>

What Can You Do?

1. Change your desk!

Alternatives to traditional desks:

• Standing desks
• Treadmill desks
• Half kneeling at your desk

Benefits:

• Improved posture
• Improved blood flow
• Possible increase in productivity and energy levels
• Burn more calories

2. Bike/Walk to work if at all possible.  If not daily, then try a few days per week

3. Set a timer to get up every 30 minutes to stretch and move around.  Many new activity trackers will alert you when you've been inactive for a certain period of time.

4. Get up during commercials at home to do chores or perform squats, jumping jacks, etc.

Next blog topic will cover stretches and specific exercises to keep your spinal muscles and joints healthy!

*Main image source: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/sitting-standing-walking-work