7 Steps to Successfully Achieving Your Health Goals

Back pain can often be caused due to trauma, such as a bad fall or a motor accident.

However over time, poor posture from everyday habits like sitting in office chairs and staring at a computer can be the reason why your back hurts.

And if you work in an office, or spend the majority of your day sitting down, you’re probably not a stranger to back pain.

Unfortunately, sitting at a desk for 8+ hours a day can lead to your body feeling stiff and tense, which causes serious discomfort whilst you’re at work.

When working in an office job, lower back pain can develop from physical inactivity, incorrect posture and a poorly designed workspace.

Throughout the day, a person may slide forward in their chair, slouch or lean toward their monitors. And fatigue can also encourage people to have an overly relaxed posture.

But, other factors such as stress, an unhealthy lifestyle and lack of exercise can also contribute to office back pain.

With that said, here are our top 5 tips to prevent back pain in the office.

1. Create an Ergonomic Workspace

An ergonomic workspace is where employees can reach for everything they need without stretching or straining.

And proper office ergonomics encourages good posture, by adjusting the height of desk, chairs and screens.

To create an ergonomic workspace, you should:

• Position everything within arm’s reach: position all items that you use frequently close to you and make sure you can reach everything without leaning
• Adjust your screen height: your monitor should be at eye level and your gaze should fall naturally to where you look at most often, without tilting your head
• Adjust screen brightness and size: if brightness is too low or the size of text is too small, you’re more likely to lean in
• Adjust your desk and chair height: you shouldn’t be leaning forwards or straining upwards. Your elbows should form a 75-90 degree angle when your hands are on your desk and always sit up right

2. Select the Right Office Chair

Having the right office chair will play a significant role in promoting good, proper posture.

For an ergonomic chair, here’s what to look for:

• Adjustable height: you should be able to adjust the height of your chair so your elbows can sit at a comfortable angle at your desk
• Adjustable backrest: there needs to be 2 – 4 inches between your calves and the front of your chair when you sit with your back against the backrest
• Adjustable armrests: the chair’s armrests should slightly lift your shoulders to reduce strain on your upper back; this will also make you slouch less
• Lumbar support: an office chair needs to provide support to your lower back to reduce tension and pressure
• Comfortable seat: the seat should be soft and padded so it’s comfortable to sit on all day
• Swivel: if you have to turn quite often, a chair that swivels will stop you from twisting your torso

3. Practice Good Posture

When you sit at a desk for hours, it’s very easy to start slouching without realising it.

Over time, this poor posture can cause back pain and lead to chronic back problems if not fixed early on.

Essentially, sitting with good posture reduces the pressure placed on your spine, improves comfort and reduces the risk of back pain.

When sitting, you should always keep your head and neck aligned above your shoulders and keep your back against the backrest.

Plus, your shoulders should be square with your monitor and your feet flat on the ground – do not cross your legs, keep your knees at a 90-degree angle.

Lastly, remember to keep your body in a natural, relaxed state and stiffness can increase back pain.

4. Proper Movements

As mentioned earlier, maintaining good posture will prevent and reduce back pain, and this includes good posture during all movements too.

Of course, in an office you’re not likely to lift heavy objects, but if you do, make sure you perform proper lifting techniques; bend your knees and hold the object close to you when you lift, and keep your back straight.

Moreover, always walk with good posture, keeping your shoulders back and chin up, and stand tall to stretch your back before you sit down.

And, if you’re already experiencing back pain, keep your movements relaxed and continue to move; if you limit your motion, this could make it worse.

5. Take Regular Breaks

It’s important to take regular breaks away from your desk, so get up every now and then and move around.

Ideally, you should stretch your legs and back every hour, but if that’s not possible, try to do this at least 3 times throughout your workday.

Furthermore, relaxation techniques, like breathing, can help to elongate your spine and doing yoga can help to reduce physical tension.

Final Words

Through a few simple changes you can reduce your risk for back pain.

However if this is something you experience, don’t just ignore it.

If you find your back pain is getting worse, even after following these tips, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and see what you can do to find and treat the cause.

To learn more, get in touch with us today.

This blog was produced in collaboration with:

• Invisalign Leicester Specialists: Smiles by Gurms
• OTL Creations