Over the last few weeks at Shirley Road we have seen a host of new and different injuries, but there is one easily preventable injury that we see time and time again. Men who spend time sitting on their wallet can often predispose themselves to leg and back pain.

sitting on your wallet

This can arise through two common mechanisms:

  1. Sitting on your wallet can compress the sciatic nerve as it passes down the back of the leg, often referred to as Piriformis Syndrome. Symptoms include dull pain across the low back and buttock with occasional sharp shooting pains down the legs. These pains are often accompanied by a pins and needles sensation in the affected foot.
  2. Elevating one side of the pelvis can cause a pelvic imbalance. This can result in fixations of the SI joint and abnormal stresses placed through the spine, ultimately resulting in pain (and a visit to Shirley Rd!!).

Prevention of back pain is always better than the cure, so just remove the offending wallet from the back pocket!

So while we’re on the subject of prevention, here are some easy ways to save your spine wherever you are.

• Take regular breaks- getting up to walk around every half hour not only saves your back from stresses, but can help to clear your mind and increase productivity.
• Be aware of your posture- try and maintain a nice curve (lordosis) in your low back. This will help reduce strain on muscles and prevent ligament overuse damage.
• Place a rolled up towel in the small of your back while driving. It’s a great way to make driving more spine-friendly.
• Breathe into your stomach! Often when we are stressed we breathe using the shoulders, placing abnormal stresses on the shoulder and neck musculature. By using the diaphragm you can help reduce strain and pain in the shoulders.

To find out more about postural strains and maintaining spinal health, talk to one of the chiropractors at Shirley Rd Chiro today!