How Office Work Can Lead to Considerable Back Pain
Are you suffering with lower back pain and are not sure what's causing it? If you are an office worker, or otherwise spend considerable periods of time sitting down, this could be the root cause of the issue. Even though you may have a comfortable chair and believe it is fit for the purpose, you may still be aggravating your back unknowingly. What could be causing this and what can you do?
Bad Posture
Sitting in an office chair for long periods of time will automatically increase stress in your shoulders and back and can put a lot of pressure on your spinal discs and back muscles. This will get progressively worse as the weeks and months pass and will end up leaving you in considerable pain. Largely, this is due to poor posture as you slouch in one position or another, stretching the ligaments in the spine, straining the discs and aggravating your back.
Looking at Your Work Position
Do some initial research to see if you can find a specially designed, ergonomic chair that will give you additional back support and help you to keep good posture while you are sitting down. Once you're happy with your chair, you will then need to make sure that you are in the proper position relative to your workstation.
If you work in front of a computer for long periods of time, you need to raise the monitor to such a position that your eyes are aimed at the very centre of the screen. This may take some careful adjustment, but if you are having to look up or down for long periods of time, this can greatly contribute to your lower back pain and spinal strain.
Adjusting Posture
To help you with your posture, try to ensure that when your hands are on the keyboard, your elbows represent a 90° angle to the rest of your body. Next, look at your feet. Are they resting comfortably without any pressure on the inside of your thigh? It this is not the case, you will need to get an adjustable footrest or adjust the height of your office chair carefully. Also, make sure that the chair is not too "deep," so that you are sitting too far back. You may need to adjust the backrest or insert a lumbar cushion to help move you forward slightly.
When you are sitting in the chair, your lower back should be arched slightly to help you retain posture and make sure you don't slump down as you tire out. This is a critical part of the equation and will need to be addressed if you want to alleviate some of that pain.
Getting Interim Help
While you work on your seating position and comfort, schedule a call to your local chiropractor, so that they can help you in the meantime.
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