An osteopath posted on TikTok a number of simple exercises that will quickly ease the back pain you’re suffering from due to prolonged sitting in front of the computer. People who watched him gave thanks for the tips: "You changed my life!"
Brandon Talbot, a Canadian osteopath who specializes in bone and muscle tissue, claims you can reduce the pressure and pain in your thighs from prolonged sitting with simple stretches that you can do on your floor at home.
In a video he posted on TikTok that garnered millions of views, Talbot is seen asking viewers, "Hip pain? Does it hurt to move your thighs? Let's change that."
He goes on to demonstrate stretching exercises on the floor and explains that these will reduce pain and help you with walking, running, squats, balance, acceleration, endurance and a variety of other activities.
The medical expert warned that pelvic pain and stiffness may worsen due to sitting for long hours at a desk and working in front of a computer.
He explained that pressure can be immediately reduced by sitting on the floor with the legs stretched in a straight line forward, then opening and closing them while making sure they are a few inches above the ground. Also, he recommends lying on the floor with your legs pressed against a wall, then flexing them before opening them gently as wide as possible.
In another video released earlier this month he demonstrated an exercise to help eliminate the "forward head position" as shown in the video.
Due to considerable use of computers and smartphones, this incorrect posture is exaggerated, and we end up standing or sitting with our head naturally tilted forward, which puts pressure on the neck and back and restricts blood flow to the brain.
To avoid this, he recommends performing a simple exercise every time you stand on your feet, which requires crossing your arms in front of your body and moving them from side to side and then over your head.
He said that these movements change the muscle tone (the constant contraction of the body muscles) and will open the chest, which causes an immediate change in breathing and posture. Talbot added that limited blood flow caused by incorrect posture can cause a variety of serious health problems including anxiety, depression, insomnia and chronic fatigue.
His videos garnered thousands of comments from grateful viewers. "Thank you for filming this video, I really needed it," one wrote, adding: "I have already adopted so many of your tips and they definitely help."
Another added: "Wow, you don’t understand how much I needed this. I can’t thank you enough!"A number of viewers joked that their hips were so stiff that they couldn’t perform these exercises without breaking something along the way.
"I would have been stuck on the floor if I’d tried it," one commented.
Another commented, “Maybe you need to help me get up afterwards."