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The crux with the
lower back,
part 2
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In the first part of my article “The crux with the lower back” I
described the common sources and consequences of chronic
spinal column pain as well as therapeutic approaches to specifically
treat this problem.
In addition to obligatory exercise therapy, attention should
also be paid to regenerative aspects in the treatment of back
problems, since it is imperative that stress on the axial skeleton
is well balanced.
Based on the physiological principle of sleep, the reduction of
strain on and regeneration of the active and passive locomotor
apparatus basically occurs during the night.
Therefore, I wish to outline the influence of individual sleeping
habits in this second article and demonstrate how you can
actually do something for your back “while sleeping” by taking
a few aspects into consideration.
Many of my “back patients” often tell me during their first
visit that they suffer from back pain early in the morning –
and quite often while still lying in bed.
This should not be the case!
If sleep intensifies the pain instead of relieving it, it is important
to get to the root of the cause.
This is the reason why I always ask my patients the following
three questions first:
1. Which sleeping position do you most commonly use?
2. What is the size of your pillow, and what is it made of?
3. How hard is your mattress?
The aspects behind these questions are:
The sleeping position
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your front forces the lumbar
spine into a harmful
hollow back position – already
described in the first
part of this article – that is
commonly referred to as
hyperlordosis. This is even
more profound if the
sleeper has positioned a
pillow underneath his/her
head and upper body.
As a result, sleeping on
your front puts more pressure
on your spine, causing
increased pain.
The pillow
Guest article
In contrast to pillows in other countries, a “German pillow” is
usually 80x80 cm. This size of pillow is, physiologically speaking,
not only inappropriate, but also bad for your back. In a
standard two-metre long bed, a pillow of this size only leaves
120 cm of space for the entire torso, measured from the
shoulder girdle to the feet.
With a few exceptions, this is insufficient space for an averaged
sized person.
What is the result? Unless you spend the night in the socalled
“foetus position”, you have to – in order to have your
shoulders on the mattress and not on the pillow – either fold
the pillow in half or roll it up into a sort of parcel. However, if
the pillow unfolds during the night, you will be forced to
sleep in an uncomfortable and non-physiological position
Straight spine due to an ergonomic pillow,
source: www.tempur.de.
with parts of your upper body resting on the pillow. Subsequently,
the pillow no longer achieves its main purpose of
supporting the natural curve in the spine by ensuring that
your head does not drop past your shoulders while you are
asleep.
The only sleeping positions that are physiologically feasible The mattress
are the side and – with restrictions – the back position. Sleep- Why not ask yourself a few simple questions: “How much
ing on your front – something patients often tell me they do – time does it usually take to choose a new car? How much
causes you to turn your head in order to breathe. This turning money are you prepared to spend on a new car? How much
of the head puts your spine out of alignment, “twisting” your time will you actually spend each day in this new vehicle
entire spine right down to your pelvis. Moreover, sleeping on
12
compared to the time you spend in bed?”