Best Posture/Tips for Nurses When You're on the Go
Nurses are the backbone of the health industry here in Australia! Working all hours of the day and night and spending anywhere from 8-16 hours on their feet in a single shift, nursing is an extremely physically demanding job. Here are some of our best Chiropractic tips to have good posture at work.
Re-Teach yourself how to both sit and stand up straight:
If you’re on your feet for long hours at work (which, as a nurse you usually are) - try to make sure you’re distributing your weight evenly across both feet. On each foot, try to rock forward so that your feet are distributed in a 60/40 split, with 60% of the weight on the balls of your feet, and 40% on your heels.
Try your best not to slouch (I’m sure it’s way easier than it sounds).
Instead of pulling shoulders back and changing your posture for the worst by overdoing it the other way, try to imagine a small string is is attached to the top of your head and all the way down your spine.
Try to imagine that string is being pulled gently towards the sky. This should lift your chest and will align your lower back, shoulders and neck. To get an idea of what your perfect neutral posture should look like, go stand with your back to a flat wall, and your head, shoulders, pelvis and heels should all be touching this. Being conscious of postures that may be harming you is a great place to start though!
Try to resist the urge to lean on counters or against walls when you need a small rest at work. If you can, find a proper chair and sit on this to take some pressure off your lower limbs. Avoiding leaning will avoid placing any unnecessary pressure on your low back and hips as well as keeping your posture in a more neutral position.
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Posture tips for nurses: shoes
Invest in some good shoes that support the arch of your foot, but also cushion the heels and toes properly. Frankie4 shoes especially are a great investment for nurses that are on the go all the time! If you’re still a student, or can’t afford supportive shoes, invest in some good quality insoles and put these into shoes that you can afford.
Remember to exercise regularly and eat well!
Looking after yourself is the key in an extremely physically demanding job. Days off are usually fleeting, but make sure you make the effort to even go for a small walk to get those endorphins pumping through your body. The better care you take of yourself the easier small things like maintaining posture will be, and the easier work will be overall.
Common conditions we see with nurses:
Low back pain - from standing for long periods at work
Sharp low back pain - this can either be occasional or constant. This can be indicative of either muscle tightness impinging on a nerve, or something more serious like a disc herniation.
This can be due to extending over a bed to treat a patient, or lifting or moving a patient.
Neck pain - this can be due to long periods completing notes at the end of shifts or just looking down throughout the shifts at charts and patients. This can be the whole neck, the base of the neck around the shoulders or down between the shoulder blades also.
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To help yourself outside of work make sure:
Avoid exercises that involve excessive extension of the back
Strengthen core muscles to support your low back
Avoid sleeping on your stomach
Stretch the back and neck to decompress and increase range of motion
Try and practice good posture as much as possible!
The best thing you can do for your back pain at work? Get some regular maintenance checks from
Dr Jace or your local chiropractor, North Brisbane. You should be looking after your spine with regular checks the same way you would a car and getting it serviced.
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