Treat your body right

Doctors advise professionals to take periodic breaks in between work to strengthen abdominal and back muscles

July 12, 2014 04:24 am | Updated 04:24 am IST - Chennai

Often, the simplest ways to stay fit are ignored. Wrong sitting postures, long hours spent working on computers and lack of exercise are sending many young professionals to doctors with complaints of back and neck pain.

Weak abdominal and back muscles are the main causes for back pain, says a senior orthopaedician. “Many young people do not exercise. Travelling for long distances on two-wheelers on rough roads could aggravate the pain,” he adds.

“Many remain seated in front of computers for long hours. In Chennai, we also see several cases of disc prolapse due to lifting of heavy weights, travelling on bad roads and doing exercises without proper instructors,” says Karthic Natarajan, pain consultant with the Back and Pain Centre, Apollo Hospitals.

Doctors advise professionals to take periodic breaks in between work. “It is important to ensure the height of the chair is right, with good arm rest. The computer monitor should be placed at the right level so you don't have to bend while working on it. Make sure that the lower back is well supported,” he advises.

Simple things like taking a brief walk once every 30 minutes and getting up for a glass of water will help. “Trivial spine injuries cause disc prolapse. Half our patients don't know the reason. They come with lower back pain that is radiating down the legs. It is better to consult a doctor for back pain, not ignore it,” says Dr. Natarajan.

*****

City residents may relish the drizzle and the cool breeze it brings, but the intermittent showers the city has received of late, have also led to some respiratory infections — colds, coughs and sniffles — in schoolchildren and office-goers.

Doctors say it is best to be cautious, especially where children are concerned. “There are three things parents must keep in mind: ensure your child drinks only clean water, ensure protection from mosquitoes, and if there are signs of a respiratory infection, get it treated early,” says Bhaskar Raju, a city-based paediatric gastroenterologist.

He says that while the usual monsoon-related illnesses such as water-borne infections haven’t cropped up as yet, a lot of children are suffering from wheezing and throat ailments.

Dr. Safinaaz, consultant physician at Apollo Hospitals, says people can boost their immunity by upping their vitamin intake: “Vitamin C and vitamin B Complex help.”

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