3 Tips to Avoid Lower Back Pain at Your Desk

One of the most common ailments physical therapists hear about is lower back pain. There can be a variety of causes of lower back pain, including a traumatic injury or improper lifting technique.

However, the most common cause of lower back pain has to do with inactivity.

For many Americans, an office job sitting at a computer or desk for eight  hours a day may be the root of back pain. Our bodies are designed to move and stretch. In order to prevent joint and muscle pain, we have to put our joints and muscles to work – this prevents stiffness and soreness from inactivity.

Luckily, you don’t have to quit your day job. Most people could improve their pain by adjusting their time at the office to optimize muscle support:

1. Engage your muscles.
   Most of us slouch and slump into the shape of the chair. This means our muscle support is not activated and those muscles become weakened over time. For sitting related back pain, focus on strengthening the abdominal muscles and the supporting back muscles. By tightening and relaxing the abdominal muscles while you are sitting and standing you can start relieving that back pain. Physical therapists can provide a series of exercises to help correct your posture.
2. Check your ergonomics.
   At your desk, workstations (chairs and desks) that are ergonomically incorrect in regards to height and size often encourage the incorrect “slouch” posture. An industrial physical therapist can help examine a work station to make it more ergonomically correct to help you avoid these aches and pains. They can also help address any pains that have already developed as a result of poor ergonomics.
3. Get up and move hourly.
   Discomfort and pain can make a workday even more stressful. To help combat muscle pain and tightness get active at your desk: roll your shoulders, stretch your hands/arms toward the sky. Flex your legs with a short walk on your lunch break if you can. Eight hours of non-stop desk work can produce tension in your body – from your neck to your knees. Give your body a break to relax regularly and you’ll notice that your back pains will relax too.

Want to learn more about physical therapy programs for back pain? Contact us for a consultation, or find a physical therapy clinic close to you!