Lesson 1.1: Fitness for Life - Putnam Valley Central School...

Lesson 3.2: Healthy Back and Good Posture

Taking Charge: Reducing Risk Factors

Chapter 3: Benefits of Physical Activity


Lesson Objectives:• Explain how good fitness helps your back work

efficiently.• Describe some common posture problems.• List some biomechanical principles that will help you

improve your posture and avoid back problems.


Question

Back pain is a common medical complaint. What types of symptoms do people with back pain experience?


Answer

Some symptoms people with back pain experience are

• muscle soreness,• muscle tightness,• muscle spasms, and• sharp pain . . . usually with movement or after

sitting or standing for long periods of time.


Question

How can people correct problems with their posture?


Answer

People can correct problems with their posture• by focusing on maintaining

good posture during the day;• by strengthening abdominal

and back muscles; and• by improving flexibility in

muscles of the torso, hamstrings, and hip flexors.


Question

What are some common posture problems?


Answer

Some common posture problems:• Forward head• Rounded back (kyphosis)• Sunken chest• Excessive back arch (lordosis)• Protruding abdomen (ptosis)• Hyperextended knees


Question

One type of back problem is lordosis. What specific muscle groups affect whether someone has lordosis?


Answer• Lordosis is when there is too much arch in the

lower back, sometimes called “swayback.”• Lordosis occurs when the abdominal muscles

are weak and the hip flexor muscles (iliopsoas) are too strong and/or inflexible.


Question

Sometimes athletes in certain sports suffer from back problems. Which sports increase the risk of back problems?


Answer

Sports that increase the risk of back problems include• contact sports, • ballet,• gymnastics,• track and field

events, and• cheerleading.


Question

Incorrect ways of lifting can lead to back problems. What are some rules for correct lifting?


Answer

Some rules of correct lifting include• lift with the leg muscles—they should do most of the

work (specifically: the knee extensors, the quadriceps),

• bend the knees,• keep the back straight,• divide the load, and• avoid twisting.


Question

To avoid twisting while lifting an object, what should you do?


Answer

To avoid twisting while lifting an object, change the position of your feet rather than keeping the feet still and twisting your trunk.


Question

Why might people who work at an office or school desk for most of the day suffer from postural or back problems?


Answer

People who work at an office or school desk for most of the day may suffer from postural or back problems because

• the muscles in the back are in a tense or contracted position for long periods of time, and

• the muscles get short when not stretched regularly.


A risk factor is any action or condition that increases your chances of developing a disease. Some risk factors, such as your age, cannot be controlled or changed by you. Other noncontrollable risk factors, such as whether you are a male or female, are genetically controlled. Sometimes, you are able to control individual risk factors. For example, you can control your diet and physical activity. Your actions affect the probability of your getting a disease.


Read the paragraph about Brenda’s family on page 53.

• What controllable risk factors for heart disease did Brenda’s mother have?

• What can she do to reduce her risk? • What can you do to decrease your risk for heart

disease? • Fill out the questionnaire to learn more about Brenda’s

mother’s risk factors as well as your own.

Lesson 1.1: Fitness for Life - Putnam Valley Central School...

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