Preventing back pain caused by prolonged sitting
Instead of obsessing over all the ways you're doing it "wrong," consider making a few adjustments to your posture or routine here and there because the reality is that you'll have days where you forget to get up and move around or have a lot more work than usual.
Here are some simple changes you can make to avoid back pain caused by prolonged sitting:
- Slouch vs. hunch, posture vs. holding erect: We're often told not to slouch because it's "bad posture," but it's natural for the spine to curve and for us to bend over our work at times, such as when we're sitting up in bed and looking at any thing.
- It is not natural for us to remain in that position for extended periods of time. The same is true when we sit at a computer desk or a dining room table and believe we must keep our shoulders back and everything upright. This causes the muscles in the neck and lower back to work extra hard to keep everything in place, causing excessive tension over time
- "I'd be more concerned with getting up and moving every 30 minutes," "This allows your spine to lengthen and blood to flow to all of your extremities." I recommend taking at least a five-minute stretch break.
Go to a doorway, for example, and do a shoulder stretch with both hands on either side of the door frame. For the lower back, you can do a gentle hamstring stretch by bending the knees and folding down slowly, even halfway, but don't overdo it or you'll end up with more glute and hamstring pain. Then go do something stress-relieving and beneficial to your health. That's what people should be doing anyway when working from home."
If you're still fiddling with the touchpad on your laptop, it's time to get a separate keyboard, mouse, and lap desk. When you're not hunched over your laptop, bringing the equipment to you allows you to sit up straighter. Hold phone at eye level when texting: You've probably heard that your laptop or computer screen should be at eye level, but what about your mobile device? Hold your phone at eye level when texting or watching television.
- This will prevent your neck muscles from being overworked or put in an awkward position. And if you find it difficult to keep the device at eye level for that long, it might be time to put it down for a break!
A businessman is on the phone at home while standing at his standing desk.
Standing workstation, dual monitor stand, and articulating arm: If you have the space and the office setup for it, perhaps it's time for the whole shebang.
- A standing desk will encourage you to alternate between standing and sitting and to shift your weight from one side to the other.
- A dual monitor eliminates the frustration of having to move between screens with mouse clicks, and an arm could set things exactly the technique you want them, every moment of every day.
- If back pain from sitting for evermore has become a issue for you, it's certainly value considering.
