Can sitting all day cause low back problems?

Prolonged sitting is a repetitive stress applied to the pelvis and low back for hours at a time. It contributes to sacral misalignment and keeps contributing after care begins, which is why an ergonomic change like a standing desk works alongside the adjustments.

What are the five Health Habits?

Diet, exercise, restorative sleep, a positive outlook and mental attitude, and a clear nervous system through chiropractic adjustments. This patient arrived with two of them already established and his low back pain was interfering with a third.

What does ligament laxity between vertebrae mean?

Ligaments hold vertebrae in relationship to each other. Laxity means those ligaments have loosened at that level and are no longer providing normal stability, which is visible on film as abnormal positioning or movement. This patient showed laxity at both L2/L3 and L3/L4.

Why does a good spinal condition improve expected outcomes?

A spine without significant degeneration has more capacity to change and less accumulated adaptation to undo. This patient's spinal condition was good, and his follow up films showed lumbar alignment that is almost textbook ideal.

Does a standing desk fix low back pain?

An ergonomic change reduces the ongoing stress a desk job applies. It does not correct a subluxation. In this case the standing desk addressed the sitting stress while the adjustments corrected the AI sacrum, and both contributed to his result.

AI Sacrum Subluxation and Low Back Pain From Sitting

How He Arrived

In this month's Spinal Correction Spotlight we are reviewing the comparison X-rays of a 33-year-old man. He found us on Google, so please leave a review, because your testimonial helps us reach more people.

He originally reported suffering from significant low back pain. He works in the tech industry, so his repetitive stress is sitting. His spinal condition is good, which always improves our expectation for outcomes.

He was already engaged in exercise and good dietary habits, so he had at least two of the five Health Habits we adhere to. Because of his low back issues he was not getting restorative sleep, and that plays a role in a positive outlook and mental attitude.

What His Films Showed

The initial images showed an AI sacrum subluxation on the right, anterior and inferior. There were also indications of ligament laxity between L2 and L3, as well as L3/L4.

As a result of his lumbopelvic subluxations, his spine was compensating by straightening out, which increases the strain on the lumbar nerves.

Clinical Findings — Initial Examination

Patient: 33-year-old male, tech industry, found the practice through Google

Presenting complaint: Significant low back pain; repetitive stress from prolonged sitting

Health habits at intake: Exercise and diet already established; restorative sleep disrupted by low back pain

X-ray type: AP lumbar and lateral lumbar

Initial X-ray: AI sacrum subluxation on the right (anterior and inferior); ligament laxity at L2/L3 and L3/L4; lumbar spine compensating by straightening

Re-evaluation X-ray: Sacral subluxation reduced; lumbar alignment almost textbook ideal

Ergonomic change: Standing desk introduced to address the ongoing stress of sitting

Outcome: Maintaining work without discomfort; improved participation in Activities of Daily Living

Lumbar AP — Before & After

Initial AP lumbar X-ray showing an AI sacrum subluxation on the right in a 33-year-old male tech worker, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

Before — Initial X-Ray

Re-evaluation AP lumbar X-ray showing the sacral subluxation reduced and lumbar alignment near textbook ideal, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

After — Re-Evaluation

Lumbar Lateral — Before & After

Initial lateral lumbar X-ray showing the lumbar spine compensating by straightening with ligament laxity at L2 L3 and L3 L4, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

Before — Initial X-Ray

Re-evaluation lateral lumbar X-ray showing restored lumbar alignment after subluxation-based corrective care, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

After — Re-Evaluation

What the Follow-Up Films Showed

In the follow up films the sacral subluxation reduced, while the alignment of his lumbar bones is almost textbook ideal.

The chronic stress of sitting is what continues to contribute to the sacral misalignment. With some ergonomic changes, in his case a standing desk, he has made significant strides forward in his overall Quality of Life.

By incorporating the final piece of his Health Habits, a clear nervous system through chiropractic adjustments, he has been able to maintain his work without discomfort and improve his participation in his chosen Activities of Daily Living. That adds Quality to life.

What This Case Shows

A spine in good condition responds well, and this case shows what that looks like when the other health habits are already in place. Sitting will keep applying its stress, and the ergonomic change addresses that side of it while the adjustments address the subluxation.

I am not the healer. I move the bone; God does the healing. You are a self-healing organism, and when you are subluxation free, not only does your spine heal, but your body expresses life the way you were created to.

Sitting Is a Load Your Spine Carries All Day

A desk job applies the same stress to the same structure every day. A structural evaluation shows what it has done so far. Come in for an X-ray analysis and find out what your own films show.

Have Your Spine Checked for Subluxation

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