Is your bed a pain in the butt?
Written by Dr. Alison Gault B. App. Sci. (clinical sci) B. Osteo. Sci. from Vale Osteopathy Clinic located in Ascot Vale and Pascoe Vale, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
As you (hopefully) spend more time sleeping than sitting at your desk, your sleeping posture is even more important than your sitting posture. I have come across an interesting study on the sleeping posture of 1000 people, stating that 41% of people sleep in the foetal position. This poture however isn’t optimal in maintaining correct spinal alignment.
The best spinal alignment when sleeping is the same as when sitting but obviously lying down. The triple C-curve of your spine is maintained and there is no excess pressure on any part of the spine. I know bad habits are hard to change but try going to sleep correctly and hopefully your sleeping body eventually gets the picture. We will start from the top…
Neck strait with your chin away from your chest
Good supportive pillow filling the gap between your head and shoulders ( review pervious article)
Arms in front of you or hugging a pillow
Maintain the curve in your low back or lumbar spine by having your knees below the level of your hips. Both knees should be together so that the back is nice and strait. Many people, especially women with larger hips will find this uncomfortable or impossible, placing a pillow between your knees will remedy this. (more…)
Sciatica is a set of symptoms rather than a specific diagnosis. The symptoms are generally buttock pain and a sharp pain down the back of the thigh and sometimes into the calf. Occasionally, when severe, there may be numbness, muscular weakness and tingling in the leg.
