Are you sitting correctly at your desk?

Last week, I wrote about lumbago (lower back pain). One of the most common causes of this is ergonomics – the way in which you sit at your desk. Individuals who have desk jobs may end up sitting for hours on end without getting up out of their chairs and if their posture is incorrect, back pain may result. Depending on the chair you sit on or the way you sit, you may experience pain anywhere along the spine.

Firstly, your desk chair must be a good chair with decent back support, especially in the lower back region. Your computer screen should be at eye level and you should not have to tilt your head downwards more than 15 degrees to look at the screen. If your head is tilted downwards all day, it may result in neck pain. The screen should also be directly in front of you, not to one side, as this will cause you to constantly rotate your spine, which may cause pain. Sit with both your feet on the floor, rather than with the legs crossed, as this changes the alignment of your pelvis, which can result in back pain. Your elbows and wrists should be at the same level, with your shoulders relaxed.

 

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It is important to maintain good posture while sitting at your desk. It becomes very easy to slouch over your desk, especially as the day wears on. Therefore, one must constantly remind oneself to sit up, keep the shoulders back and the head looking straight forward.

Finally, movement is essential in preventing bad ergonomics. If you have a desk job, you must get up at least once every hour and walk around a little. Stretching the neck and back periodically will also assist in preventing poor ergonomics. Movement is good for both the mind and body!

Lower Back Pain (Lumbago)

One of the most common conditions that biokineticists see is lumbago, or lower back pain. Often, there is no exact known cause, yet the individual suffers from an ache in the lower back region, which does not radiate down into the legs. An individual may feel stiffness or experience muscle spasm in the lower back region, thus affecting the walking pattern.

There are many possible causes of this. The most common causes are poor posture when standing and seated, desk jobs and inactivity, muscular spasm due to stress and muscle weakness or tightness.

Factors that a biokineticist may consider when assessing the individual include posture, gait (walking pattern), ergonomics (how one sits at a desk), flexibility and muscle strength. It is often seen that weakness and tightness in certain muscle groups contribute to this problem. For example, an individual with this condition may have tight hamstrings and poor abdominal and core strength.

When rehabilitating an individual with this condition, the focus is on stretching the tight areas and strengthening the weak areas. Very specific techniques are used to ensure that the correct muscles are targeted, otherwise the problem may be exacerbated.

Individuals must learn to activate their tranversus abdominis (TA) muscle and then maintain this contraction throughout their daily activities. The TA plays a vital role in supporting the pelvic region and, therefore, reducing lower back pain. A biokineticist will teach you how to contract the TA and maintain the contraction while performing various exercises, so that this can be carried through into daily life. Individuals must also learn to activate multifidus, a deep muscle in the spine, which plays an important role in supporting the spine and thus reducing lower back pain. In many people, these muscles become lazy and dormant due to inactivity or incorrect exercise technique. Thus, it is important to be educated on how to re-awaken these sleeping muscles and use them correctly when carrying out daily activities.

Patients will also be given exercises to strengthen their abdominal, gluteal (buttocks) and lower back muscles. In deconditioned individuals, it is important to also strengthen the arms and legs for lifting heavy objects. It is also essential to educate patients on how to use their limbs, rather than their backs, to lift heavy objects and thereby reduce the risk of lower back pain.

In terms of stretching, the hamstring muscles and hip flexor muscles are often tight and need to be stretched. Careful techniques are used to ensure that the correct muscles are being stretched, with minimal involvement in the back. Remember: when stretching, one must only feel slight discomfort, not pain!

What is Biokinetics?

Biokinetics is the use of exercise and movement as a form of rehabilitation or therapy. A biokineticist, therefore, uses exercise and movement to enhance the wellness and functionality of an individual’s physical state to improve the individual’s quality of life.

Where does Biokinetics fit in?

Biokinetics is involved in three main areas – orthopaedic rehabilitation, chronic disease management and corporate wellness.

Orthopaedic rehabilitation: generally, if a person suffers an injury or has surgery (ligament reconstruction, joint replacement, spinal fusion, etc.), the person will see a physiotherapist who will treat the acute injury by reducing pain and inflammation at the site of injury and regaining mobility of the joint. The person then goes to a biokineticist to strengthen the affected muscles, so that the person can return to their daily activities or sporting activities with reduced risk of recurrence. Often, biokinetics is also recommended prior to surgery (prehab), to strengthen appropriate muscles to support the affected area, thus speeding up the post-surgery rehabilitation.

Chronic disease management: exercise is used as a form of medicine to assist in the management of numerous chronic diseases, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, arthritis and many more. Certain conditions respond to certain types of exercise, so the biokineticist will provide appropriate exercises for certain conditions.

Corporate wellness: in the corporate sector, biokineticists assess individuals who are generally office-bound. Measurements, such as height, weight and blood pressure are taken. A postural analysis, as well as an ergological evaluation, are done to assess weaknesses that may cause back and neck pain, for example, when an individual sits at a desk. Appropriate exercises are then prescribed to strengthen these weak areas and thus reduce pain and discomfort. Risk questionnaires may also be given to assess an individual’s risk for heart disease.

We work very closely with other medical professionals and allied health care professionals, such as orthopaedic and neurosurgeons, neurologists, specialist physicians, chiropractors and physiotherapists.

What does an appointment with a Biokineticist involve?

First, a thorough case history is taken to determine what prior injuries or illnesses existed that may have an effect on the current condition. A comprehensive assessment of the individual is done to determine where the weaknesses are that may be causing pain or injury. Appropriate exercises are then prescribed and carefully executed with the correct technique to improve symptoms and eliminate causing factors where possible.

What qualification does a Biokineticist have?

A biokinetics qualification is a paramedical degree that consists of a three-year undergraduate degree in Human Movement Science, together with one other major, followed by a one-year honours degree in biokinetics, and finally, one year of internship, where one works at a practice under the supervision of a registered biokineticist.

A biokineticist must be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in order to practice. The Biokinetics Association of South Africa is the profession’s representative.

In order to remain registered while practicing, a biokineticist must also obtain 60 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points per 24-month period. This ensures that the profession grows continuously and that all those in the profession remain up to date with new and developing concepts.

Biokinetics is recognised by medical aids and is, therefore, covered by most medical aids.

Welcome!

Dear All

Welcome to this new and exciting blog. Here, you will be able to learn more about the profession of Biokinetics and gain insight into exactly what we do. This is a relatively new profession, so many people are still unfamiliar with our scope of practice. You will also be able to gain information regarding various orthopaedic and chronic conditions and how exercise is used to treat and manage them.

I hope you will enjoy this new and exciting blog!

Nicole Picas
Biokineticist