Chiropractic and Musculoskeletal Advice for Avid Photographers
There are many different careers in which musculoskeletal health is compromised. We see many different individuals in sectors of industry and agriculture where the physical demands in their work result in significantly decreased musculoskeletal health. Between the manual labor, the long hours, and the various different types of activity carried out throughout their work, there is ample opportunity for musculoskeletal problems to arise. The same goes for individuals whose professional careers involve long periods of time spent sitting. When we are in front of computers for more than eight hours a day with minimum amounts of time for physical activity, the potential for arthritis as well as other musculoskeletal conditions.
There are some professions where we may not even realize that there is a degree of musculoskeletal strain and pressure. One of these professions is photography. Professional photographers are tasked with spending a lot of time on their feet, crouching, bending, moving around quickly, and overall putting their bodies in a lot of compromising positions to get the desired shot. This can lead to problems in the lower back and in the hips. There is also a lot of strain placed on the arms, the shoulders, and the cervical spine, as lugging all of the camera equipment around and holding heavy cameras up to eye level can be bad for musculoskeletal health.
Photographers are able to use the principles of biophysics to determine optimal positioning for their bodies in a given day of shooting. Whether the photographer is standing up straight or crouched down and bent over for a series of shots, he or she should maintain a staggered stance, with the feet apart. In using an underhand grip for the hand holding the camera and bending at the legs not at the back, photographers are able to significantly reduce the amount of stress that is placed on their musculoskeletal system.
A trip to the chiropractor can help photographers change their shooting process and their posture to improve musculoskeletal health over the long term. With the weight of their creativity (and equipment) on their shoulders at all times, it's no surprise that photographers may feel the pain. Hopefully with a little practice, some postural alterations will help photographers shoot longer and stay healthier.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Giuseppe Milo
