In this MEDICA.de interview, Professor Ulf Müller, MD, talks about disc desiccation (or dehydration), describes the role of artificial intelligence in the medical field and reveals what’s in the cushions.
The Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems of the Technical University of Cologne developed the "SensA-Chair". What is that exactly?
Prof. Ulf Müller: SensA-Chair is a BMBF-funded R & D project, which was executed by the Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems at the Technical University of Cologne in collaboration with three industry partners and two other universities.
Over the course of this project, we developed a smart seating system designed to prevent health problems associated with prolonged static sitting and an unchanged posture by actively promoting active dynamic sitting through regular sitting adjustments.
Long sitting puts a strain on our back and spine. How can we envision this strain?
Müller: The muscles of the back and the spine have to endure the pressure of your own body weight and the strain from physical activities. Lack of activity or movement causes the muscles and discs that are located between the vertebrae of the spine and act as shock absorbers to atrophy or degenerate. This is especially the case when we are sitting.
Staying in the same sitting position for long periods decreases oxygen and nutrient supply of the spinal discs, causing them to dehydrate or become brittle. Only regular movement, i.e., straining and relieving the spinal discs drives diffusion and prompts the nutrients to move from the surrounding tissue into the discs and keep them soft and elastic, thus enabling them to absorb pressure that is acting on them. The same applies to the back muscles.