Physio shares shoulder blade test that could show 'problem'

49 million people suffer from back pain regularly in the UK. And with many in the modern world living sedentary lifestyles from behind their desk, it’s a problem that’s only going to be

getting worse unless they take action. Juanma Ortega, a physiotherapist specialising in spinal injuries, noted that even people who think they’re fit and healthy now could already be seeing

signs of a problem decades down the line. He told Lavoz de la Salud that body builders or gym fanatics with big biceps might look like they’re in pique physique, but: “If you can't

touch the shoulder blade of the opposite shoulder at the back, you have a problem because you are wasting the mobility of your body. "Maybe when you're 40, you don't care, but

when you're 80, you have a problem.” The back pain expert also revealed most people aren’t focused on what they’re supposed to be training: “People are shocked when I say that if you

work eight hours in an office, you have to train to be able to sit for eight hours. "Most people sit for eight hours and do it badly after half an hour.” According to the expert, the

worst posture which most people adopt at their desk includes slumped shoulders with the neck pushed forward. But, he noted that the problem with this isn’t actually in the neck or shoulders

at all. Juanma explained that often the root of the problem is actually in the hips or legs. This could be that the hips are slumped forward in the seat, leaning to one side or the legs may

be crossed causing an imbalance that works its way up the spine. For people that work sitting down, the physiotherapist advised they focus on a few movements and exercises: * Stretching the

hamstrings, calves, pectorals and biceps on a daily basis * Stabilising hip strength * Strengthening the shoulder blades and abdomen * Cardio like running, swimming or Pilates However, one

of his pet peeves is that people wrongly believe doing these workouts every now and again will solve their ailments. Juanma argued that holding a static position for hours everyday and then

doing one hour of activity only does “around 20%” of the work. He added: “If you no longer use your body for what it is designed for. When you leave the office you go running four days a

week or play paddle tennis or do weights in a gym, the problem is that you are going from carrying your body in a static position for hours to, suddenly, the other extreme. "You don’t

want the static position or the sport to harm you.” He recommended that people who go to gym, and are without major injuries, should try split their exercise time evenly among all

activities. Juanma personally suggested doing 20 minutes of weights, 20 minutes of aerobic training and 20 minutes stretching your flexibility. The expert concluded: “Even if it's just

getting on a bike in the gym and doing 20 minutes. This is training for health, for quality of life, without any aesthetic objective.”