hours spent sitting in front of your desk, driving on long-haul
trips, or traveling on planes or buses can leave you feeling worn-out
This is because not all chairs are ergonomic,
or your work area may not be set up in a manner that encourages proper
Back pain is the most common cause of work-related disability in the
United States and is one of the most common causes of absence from
work, second only to the common cold.
Although our bodies aren’t designed to stay in a sedentary
position for long periods, many jobs nowadays force us to
stay in the same position for several hours on end, and most likely
with bad posture, at that.
For instance, when you’re working with a computer having a
monitor that’s set too low, you tend to slouch and sit with a rounded
back – a position that creates considerable stress on your
Sitting For Long Hours Can Cause Back Pain:
When you slouch, the back muscles are weakened because they are held
in an abnormal position for a long period.
A rounded back also collapses the intervertebral discs –
cartilaginous joints sandwiched between adjacent vertebrae of the spine
– pushing them outward to the back.
When this happens, the disc herniates, resulting in a slipped disc.
A disc that severely bulges outward can press on the nearby nerves,
causing pain that can radiate down to your legs.
Not only that – slouching can also exert pressure on the soft tissue
on the neck, giving you not just back pain but neck pain as well.
To Prevent Back Pain:
There are many causes of back pain, but you can determine if it’s due
to poor posture and ergonomics.
You can tell that this is so if the back pain:
- Goes away after you switch positions;
- Gets worse at certain times of the day –
usually at the end of the day – but not during the weekends when you’re
- Begins at the neck area, moving down the upper
and lower back and radiating towards the extremities;
- Is felt after, say moving into a new office and
using new chairs or desks.
Are A Few Tips To Prevent That Annoying Back Pain:
Break The Sedentary Position Several Times A Day.
It’s not enough that you get up from your seat for your coffee break or
lunch break. Stand up, pace the room, and do a few stretching
exercises every half-hour or every hour at least.
Use A Lumbar Roll.
There are several models of lumbar rolls available at online stores,
but it’s easy to improvise one.
What’s important is that a wedge is used to fill in the curved space
that non-ergonomic chairs have, to prevent your back from assuming the
position of a hammock.
The lumbar roll “forces” you to straighten out and assume
a more natural posture.
Set Up An Ergonomic Physical Environment.
We’re often assigned to workstations with standard measurements,
such as the size of the chair, the distance of the tabletop from the
floor, and the computer monitor level.
However, since people are of different heights and body sizes, a
standard measurement cannot possibly be applicable to everyone.
If you’re the boss, invest in workstation designs that are
tailor-fit to the users. It may seem like added expense but it will
definitely result in healthier, happier workers.
If you have a home office, check the best positions for you before
having anything constructed. You can also use an external keyboard for
your laptop to allow you to have a more relaxed posture.
Be Aware Of A Few Posture Myths.
Contrary to popular belief, sitting with your spine at a
90-degree angle to your thighs is Not the most ideal way to go!
A study conducted at the Woodend Hospital in Scotland showed that a 135-degree
body-thigh sitting position, with the feet remaining on the floor,
was the best biomechanical posture.
In a study of 22 volunteers without histories of surgery or back
problems, scientists found that a slouched, or C, position showed a
decrease in spinal disk height, indicating wear and tear.
The 90-degree upright sitting position showed a high degree of disk
movement, while the 135-degree posture fared best in terms of the
degree of pressure placed on the spinal discs.
The importance of regular exercise cannot be emphasized enough, and
long hours at the office is no excuse.
There are several simple strengthening exercises that can be done
while in the office, and they could help you avoid excruciating back
On the other hand, if you do have the time to spare, you can engage
in bicycling, swimming, or walking – just a few of the best exercises
to keep your back aerobically conditioned.