5 ways to stop back ache at work.

Are you prolonging your back pain with a poor office setup?

A friend texted me last week because he was suffering with back ache and radiating leg pain - sciatica. Being miles away my initial advice was to make sure his sitting posture wasn't aggravating the problem.

​I replied with...

"Sitting is one of the worst things for your nerves and discs in your back, you've got to perch rather than sit. Especially no sitting on the sofa or anything that tilts backwards - this flares the discs open at the back, aggravates the heck out of it and stretches the nerves." ​

You can appreciate how allowing your spine to slump into a C-shape will stretch the intervertebral discs, ligaments of the spine and spinal cord running though the vertebral canal. Years of this physically stressful posture can eventually lead to back ache, leg pain and sciatica. 

I notice our local Post Office have an ideal set up for their team with sit/stand desks. Unfortunately one of the ladies there her set up was obviously causing her discomfort as she cursed the chair for her low back ache. She was on a regular chair designed for a low desk with her feet half resting on a bin which meant she had to lean forwards to use the computer which would have been putting undue stress on her whole spine. 

If you're lucky enough to have mindful employers who have equip you with a standing desk it is vital that you have it set up correctly. I will describe how.

3 desk postures that can cause back pain

1. Your chair tilts backwards (common for most furniture) this makes your pelvis tip backwards too and forces your low back into a slumped curve
2. You look down at your computer/laptop screen. This puts your neck into a forwards posture, in doing so the muscles of your shoulders and back of your neck have to work extra hard to hold the weight of your head.
3. You lean forwards on your desk. Again, the muscles in the back of your neck, shoulders and the two columns of muscle parallel to your spine have to work really hard to the point of fatigue - classically after you've been sitting for an hour or so.

Sound familiar? These postures are easy to put right...

Change your office set up - stop back ache.

1. Tilt your office chair forwards slightly so that your hips are higher than your knees, your feet should be flat on the floor. If your chair won't tilt use a wedge cushion - the angle of which will be specific to you.
2. Lift your computer/laptop screen so that you have to look slightly up at it - this is one of the biggest steps to reducing neck and back tension at work according to the feedback I have had from clients.
3. Bring your keyboard closer so that you don't have to stretch to it, or anything else on your desk that you frequently use.
4. Get up & move every 1/2 hour to reset the discs in your spine. Stand up, march on the spot, stretch up to the ceiling and take a walk.
5. Position yourself straight on with your desk and computer/work and your desk so that you don't have to twist or repeatedly turn your body to speak to your colleagues/clients.

Try all of these initial suggestions, if you're still getting back ache and/or sciatica get in touch here.