If you have the type of job in which you're largely sedentary and spend virtually the entire workday sitting at your desk, you're at a heightened risk of back pain. Even if your back feels fine today, there's a chance that you'll develop pain in the future as a result of the amount of time you're spending seated. To avoid contending with pain down the road, it's important to take an active role in your physical health right now. With a little creativity, there are a number of different ways that you can make simple changes to your workday to reduce the risk of back pain.
Find Excuses To Be Active
While some people advocate performing exercises in your office or cubicle, this strategy isn't always appropriate in every work environment. Even if you can't specifically exercise, find ways to get moving instead of sitting idly. Options can include climbing the stairs as an alternative to using the elevator or visiting the washroom on the far side of your building instead of the one closest to your desk. Something subtle, such as walking in place while you're speaking on the phone or listening in on a conference call, can also be ideal.
Make Posture A Priority
Poor posture can lead to back pain very quickly. When you sit in a slouched position or in any way that kinks your muscles or puts your spine out of alignment, you're at risk of developing severe discomfort. Be cognizant of your posture throughout the workday; you should be sitting with your back straight, your lower back supported by your chair and your shoulders back. If you reach a point during the day that you're not feeling able to maintain this posture, perhaps due to fatigue, get up for a few minutes and move around before sitting back down and sitting correctly.
Get Others On Board
Working out with a partner or a group promotes accountability, and you can lessen the chance of back pain for you and your co-workers by organizing something physical. Even if it's just once per week, taking a walk over the lunch hour or playing Frisbee as a group for half an hour after work can be healthy and even improve your enjoyment of the workday. Your company's human resources department is likely to endorse your idea, given that back pain is the most common reason that employees miss days at work. Your idea can't hurt your career, either, as management might see you as a motivator of staff.
Share23 December 2015
After suffering with debilitating back pain for years, I decided it might be a good idea to finally meet with a doctor. I didn't want to beat around the bush with the issue, so I headed straight to a specialist who I thought could help me: a chiropractor. Even though it was my first appointment, my doctor was incredible and got to work right away on my problem. He took images of my spine and then talked with me about the results. I found out that several of my vertebrae were eroding, which was putting a lot of pressure on my spinal column. He made adjustments that made me feel a lot better right away. Check out this blog to learn more about how a chiropractor could help you.