Being a dentist requires you to spend lot of time sitting. A few years ago, the news headline came out saying: ‘Sitting is the new smoking’. People panicked, stores began to empty and toilet paper was as valuable as an E.max crown!
But this headline is misleading. Sitting is not the new smoking and sitting is not inherently bad for you.
Instead, what is not good for you is prolonged time in any one position. Whether that is sitting or standing.
Your joints have no direct blood supply and instead get nutrition via osmosis. This means that without adequate movement throughout the day, they start to get a bit hungry and at times cranky too! Over time this can lead to a lot of joint stiffness and pain. With the lower back being the thing that often takes the most of it.
Lower back pain
Globally, lower back pain is more disabling than heart disease, cancer, diabetes and strokes combined. So, it’s probably a good idea to work on your lower back before it becomes a problem.
Don’t be the dentist who advises their patient to floss their teeth to prevent caries without first looking after yourself.
Exercise and movement are not difficult, and often it is an issue of logistics when it comes to trying to get more from it.
You may run a practice, be a very busy associate or do both, whilst also having a family to look after. So it’s easy to skip looking after yourself for a few years.
Doing so often inevitably leads to many dentists experiencing back pain and at times severe back pain.
With the Dentistry Gym, it’s an easy follow along class that you can do at home. It often only takes about 20-30 minutes.
You can combine multiple classes to target different body parts or repeat the same ones a few times working to improve your strength and flexibility.
This class is designed for viewers to carry it out with minimal equipment at home. We don’t use weights so these exercises are quite safe for most people.
However, before conducting any exercises please consult your GP or allied health therapist for guidance and advice about your own circumstances and whether these exercises are the right thing for you.
Always seek medical advice before starting any exercise program.
Follow Khalil Hussein on his Instagram: @khalilchiro, or via his website: www.khalilhussein.net.
Catch previous Dentistry Gym videos:
- Preventing elbow and wrist pain
- Preventing neck and shoulder pain.
The post Dentistry Gym – exercises to help prevent lower back pain appeared first on Dentistry.co.uk.
