Posture is Everything

I'm sure that I've mentioned that I have a herniated disk in my lower back. It's been on the touchy side for the past two or three months, talking to me when I rise from a chair.

The past week or so, as I've been doing more gardening, I've half expected it to flare up, and make movement difficult. But, oddly, as I'm gardening, it seems to be fine. It's when I come in for the day, and have been sitting at the computer, or in the rocker for a while, and then rise, that I have more difficulty.

When I rise at the table, I pause to be sure that none of the muscles are complaining. If something is uncomfortable, I take the time to "suck it in," and slowly stand up straight. It seems that those two things help to support the disk, and ease the discomfort.

I noticed that I have been slumping in my office chair. I talked with the doctor about it, complaining about a knot of muscles over my shoulder blade that hurt. He says that good posture is one of the ways to alleviate the pain. Another is to rise from my chair at least once an hour and do some of the same warm up stretches we do at exercise.

So, as I get more time in my gardens, I'm also working on improving my posture throughout the day. If you catch me slumping, give me what for!