Back pain can come as a consequence of a serious accident, but most of the time, it is the result of an everyday activity that is done improperly. In recent years, statistics have shown that sitting for too long, whether at a desk, in a car or on the couch all day, is one of the biggest factors that cause back pain. And while life is becoming more convenient, it also makes people lazier when it comes to walking and exercising, since everything can now be done from the comfort of our seats.
We have all encountered some kind of back pain after sitting for too long, but the good news is that overcoming this soreness is not all that difficult.
In fact, you just have to implement the five following tips in your everyday life to prevent them from happening again.
1. Fix Your Posture
Whether you work at home or at the office, bad posture is usually the major contributing factor in back pain. The pain is usually the result of slouching forward too much or leaning too far back in your chair. If you do not recognize this issue and fix your posture, it can lead to serious problems in the future. Offices will typically provide furniture with good ergonomics. However, if you are someone who is working from home, there is always something you can do when it comes to posture.
Practice sitting perfectly straight and keep your shoulders level. You can also change things up by standing up or taking a break once in a while since sitting too long in a place can cause a lot of back pain. By practicing good posture, your back will maintain its natural curve and stay strong, and you will not experience any chronic back pain.
2. Buy New Furniture
Along with maintaining a neutral posture, if your work requires a prolonged amount of time sitting, you have to make sure that your back has the appropriate support by investing in proper equipment like an ergonomic desk and chair. There are many comfortable office seating options that can seriously improve your posture and reduce your back pain. Ergonomic desk chairs optimize the angle of your back, the heights of the seat, and the support on your neck and your back. Ergonomic desks keep your computer screen at a suitable distance and height, so you do not have to slouch forward or lean back, which helps to prevent neck and spine injuries.
3. Apply Ice and Heat
By applying ice and heat at the right times, you can speed up the healing and recovery process of certain pain or soreness in your body. In this case, the inflammation that affects your back can be reduced by taking an ice bath or just simply applying an ice pack for half an hour. After everything is fully under control, applying heat to your back can have a soothing effect and help bring blood to the area, which will reduce soreness.
4. Stretch Your Body
Taking up yoga or even just doing a regular stretch has many benefits for your body, especially after the long, stressful work hours of sitting in one place all day. Along with taking regular breaks and changing your position once in a while, gently stretching your back muscles and spine can help you tremendously with alleviating soreness and stiffness, lengthening the core muscles and improving blood flow throughout the body. While you are stretching, take a few deep breaths to relax and ease your mind and body from any stress and pain that is left over from work. Having a massage once in a while will also do the trick to ease the back pain from sitting all week.
5. Maintain a Healthy Diet
The right diet can protect your body from many issues caused by internal and external factors. Most of the time, with back pain, you are putting too much pressure on your body, and if your core is not strong enough to support your spine, it leads to pain. By releasing the stress from your body with a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, dairy products, and whole grains, your body will be in shape, and there will be less discomfort and back pain.
Back pain from sitting is a common problem. This back pain often gets worse as we age, but we can always do something about it. Protecting and strengthening your back from a young age is ideal, but when it comes to longevity, maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle is what matters the most. While these tips are certainly helpful for you to take note and implement, if you have severe chronic back pain, you should consider seeing a doctor to figure out the best solution to the issue.