Teachers and Back Pain: How Chiropractic Can Help

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Teachers do a lot in a day. They stand for long periods of time, they stoop and bend, pick up children, carry stacks of papers, and sit for long periods while they grade papers. It’s no wonder that so many teachers end up with aching backs! While low back pain is the number one cause of disability worldwide, it’s easy to see how teachers may be more susceptible to experiencing it.

Chiropractic care can help keep teachers standing upright and moving about – as well as other great benefits. A teacher with back pain can’t be as effective as they would be if they weren’t in pain. It makes it harder for them to do their job. Regular chiropractic care can help offset what their body goes through in a day and relieves the pain so they can do what they love – shape young minds.

What Teachers Really Do

Teaching is a tough profession. The typical teacher arrives at school before it starts (usually between 6:30 am and 7:30 am) and they don’t leave until well after the last bell has rung (often between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm). They grade exams during their vacations and spend hours preparing lessons, quizzes, activities, and tests. In middle and high school, they teach five or six classes a day which means a lot of talking and a lot of standing. Combine the stress with the physical demands of the job and it’s no wonder aching feet and backs are the bane of a teacher’s existence.

The Impact of Teaching on the Body

There have been several studies that explore the effects of the physical demands that are put upon a teacher. One study analyzed the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in special education teachers and teachers’ aides. It found that the three areas most affected were the wrist, shoulder, and back. It found that 86% of the teachers who participated had physical pain and musculoskeletal condition. Another study examined teachers in a municipal school network in Brazil. It found that:

  • 41.1% complained of foot, leg, and knee pain (lower limbs)
  • 23.7% complained of shoulder, neck, and wrist pain (upper limbs)
  • 41.1% complained of back pain

A third study that assessed teachers in Malaysia reported that 62.5% of the teachers surveyed complained of low back pain.

How Chiropractic Care Helps Teachers with Low Back Pain

Several studies show that chiropractic care is a very effective treatment for back pain. The chiropractor will perform a spinal manipulation to bring the spine (and body) into proper alignment. He may also offer advice on exercises, stretching, and ways to improve posture as well as recommending lifestyle changes and what to look for in supportive shoes. Chiropractic’s whole-body approach not only helps relieve back pain, it helps prevent it as well.

Additional Benefits Teachers can Gain from Chiropractic

While less back pain is great news for teachers, there are other benefits they can reap form chiropractic as well. That’s because it doesn’t focus solely on the back or pain, it looks at the whole body. Every day teachers put a lot of stress on their bodies, bending over to help a child with their work, standing to give a lecture, sitting for hours grading papers, and reaching to write on the blackboard. All of this can take a toll on the body, not just physically, but in other ways as wall. It can result in headaches, insomnia, and even frequent illness. A chiropractor can address all those things and make recommendations regarding lifestyle and diet as well as spinal manipulation.

This allows the patient to gain whole body benefits from chiropractic.

  • Improved mental clarity and cognitive function.
  • Healthier posture.
  • Improved quality of sleep.
  • Stronger immune system.
  • Fewer migraines and headaches.
  • Healthier spine.

If you are a teacher, chiropractic care is one of the best ways you can be good to yourself – and you deserve it. Give us a call to schedule your assessment! (780)455-2112

Driving

3 Tips To Alleviate Back Pain While Driving

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When you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, whether you are going on a long trip or your job requires you to drive around town all day, it can be a real pain – in the back. Many car seats may be comfortable for short jaunts, but they are not built to support the back on the long hauls. However, there are some things that you can do to offset a non-back friendly seat design and alleviate, or even prevent, back pain while driving.

Create a Comfortable Space

Before you settle in behind the wheel, you want to make sure that you are comfortable. Keeping things like your wallet and cellphone in your pocket may be convenient when you are moving about, but can be an irritant when you are basically sitting on them mile after mile. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Any type of discomfort can put stress on your body so even if it is not necessarily pain related, it can exacerbate pain as your body’s sensitivity heightens in response to the stress.

Adjust your seat so that you are comfortable, but sitting fairly upright. If you recline, it could put stress on your neck and upper back, causing pain. Your seat should also be high enough so that you can place your feet flat on the floor – at least for a while (you can do this while driving if you have cruise control). There should be a slight bend in your elbows as you reach for the steering wheel and you should not have to stretch to reach the pedals. Make sure that your mirrors are adjusted so that you don’t have to bend or crane your neck to get good visibility.

Put Together a Healthy Back Kit

Bring along some things to help keep your back comfortable and pain free – even if you’ve never experienced back pain while driving. There is always a first time. Some of the items you might want to bring along include:

  • A towel that you can roll up and place behind the small of your back
  • A lumbar support pillow
  • A cold or hot pack
  • Something for pain relief
  • A cushion for your car seat to absorb the vibration
  • Water (so you can stay hydrated)
  • Essential Oil like lavender or peppermint (put a few drops in a carrier oil and apply to the sore areas)

Take Breaks and Move a Little

Driving straight through without any breaks is never a good idea. In fact, it can make you more tired, stiff and sore – and less alert on the road. Instead, take breaks to get out of the car, walk around, and stretch. When you move, you stimulate your circulation which brings oxygen and vital nutrients to your muscles. You’ll feel better, be more alert, and will be less likely to experience back pain.

Stopping every hour or so will help considerably with alleviating back pain. It doesn’t have to be a big production, just walk around for a few minutes, stretch your neck, shoulders, and back, then get back on the road. In between stops you can move your ankles up and down or rotate them to increase circulation to the lower leg. You should also adjust your position or your seat about every 20 minutes. Even these slight movements can help keep the blood flowing which will prevent your muscles from getting stiff and sore.

Regular chiropractic care as well as a consistent exercise routine can help prevent back pain in many situations, including while driving. Your chiropractor can also recommend some back strengthening exercises and stretches that will help make your spine even healthier.

Give our clinic a call at (780)455-2112 to schedule your assessment today! Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic and doctors!