Do you have back pain while sitting at your desk chair?? Is it harder and harder to concentrate throughout your day because your back pain starts in the morning and then increases the more that you sit at work?? By the time you leave work and drive home, do you feel like you can’t get rid of your back pain until you go to sleep for the night??
OR Do you have back pain from all the walking and standing that you do at work?? Do you feel that at the end of the day all that you look forward to is sitting because your back is aching so much from all your standing??
Well here’s the answer: our bodies were NOT meant to stay in any position for the entire day! We were meant to move- meaning sit, stand, kneel, squat, lie down and more throughout our day!
So, in terms of working and ways to prevent your back pain no matter what your job is, the good news is that there are many things that you can do throughout your day.
Here are some tips to help you reduce your back pain while at work:
Get a sit to stand desk (if you are at a desk/computer position at work)
- This will allow you to change your position throughout the day so that you don’t have to stay sitting or standing all day long!
- Set a timer to change positions about every 30-60 minutes (whatever is best for the project you are working on)
Take breaks no matter what you do!
- Make sure you are going to the bathroom about every 3 hours as a break for your body
- Head to the water cooler or office kitchen to refill your water
- Take a lunch break to regroup and change positions for your body
- Set a timer on your phone or computer to remind you to take breaks!
Take a stretch break to loosen up your muscles, reduce your aches and pains and prevent further discomfort in the morning AND afternoon to break up the workday
- Do 10 shoulder circles forwards and backwards to loosen up your muscles if you have been working at the computer or desk all day
- Tilt your head to your left shoulder and then to the right shoulder 5 times to each side to keep your head in the ideal position
- With your arms at your sides, lean to the left side and then the right side to stretch the sides of your back (like a teapot pouring tea)
- March in place 10 times on each side to get some circulation to your legs (hold onto your desk or a stable surface to prevent falling)
- Do 10 calf raises pushing your body up on your toes and then slowly back down to work your calf muscles
If your back pain continues to persist with making these small changes throughout your day, then you need some more help to figure out what is going on with your back!
- Come see a skilled physical therapist where we can determine what is causing your back pain, provide you specific guided exercises to help your body and get you back to do all the things that you love (work included😊)
At Breakaway Physical Therapy, we believe in the importance of getting to know you from the beginning and making sure we are the best fit for YOU to help you on your road to recovery.
Call OR text us at 410-782-3672 to find out about our FREE Breakthrough visit where you can sit down for 20 minutes with a back-pain specialist and figure out what is going on with your body!
Feel free to email us at Getbetter@BreakawayPT.com for more information and to help you enjoy all your days whether it’s the weekend with friends and family OR during your workweek without the aches and pain of nagging back pain prevent you from enjoying your life!
Shaina Clemons
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