Sitting is good if you have spinal stenosis.

Why this matters:

I recently worked with a client who said that their physio told them to never round his back. The therapist believed that bending forward would worsen a disc herniation and make pain worse. But what if the pain this client was feeling was not related to the herniated disc?

Our spinal discs dry out as we age. Meaning that the chances for disc herniation decrease as we get older. This brings up the risk of developing arthritis and DDD. Often times, this progression can lead to a condition called

spinal stenosis

Stenosis means a narrowing of an opening. It is often found in the opening between vertebrae called the foramen. Spinal nerves exit the spine from these openings. They get wider when bending forward and narrower when leaning backward; meaning that the pain gets worse with extension but gets better with flexion.

We need to focus on the activities that make us feel better.

Action Steps:

Does bending forward and sitting bring your pain down? You have permission to do more of it.

However, you will have to stand up at times. When you’re standing, forget trying to stand up completely straight with your chest point up. Shift your weight onto your heels and pull your toes up. You’ll notice that you are more stacked and your back isn’t arching as much.