By now, we've all heard about the dangers of our office jobs. Sitting is the new smoking. Our sedentary ways are making us unhealthy.
Short of asking HR for a treadmill desk, what can you do to make sure you don't kill yourself trying to make a living? Admittedly, even for the most well-intentioned folks, it's hard to maintain good posture throughout the day without slumping into a slouch.
Here are 5 tips for avoiding back pain at work:
1. Get up and talk to your co-workers. Does the world need another email message? Not only will this help you communicate tasks better, this will alleviate some of the pressure on your back from sitting too long.
2. Get out of the office and walk around during your lunch break. If you work in an office park, park further way. Every bit of activity counts. Fresh air clears your head and refocuses your mental energy. Especially when it's cold out, getting a little vitamin D from the sun improves your well-being.
3. Stretch frequently. One that's particularly good for the office is the Standing Abdominal Stretch, where you stand with your feet hip distance apart, lift your arms straight overhead and bend back slightly to stretch the abs.
4. Make sure you sit correctly with an ergonomically optimized work station. Ideally the top of your screen should be eye level and your arms at a 90-degree angle as you type. Ask for a headset so you don't have to cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder to type and talk.
5. Counteract your core imbalances by taking time to stretch your spine or create extension (this is done through back bending). I do sell a device called the BackBridge designed specifically to do this safely, but you can also lay across a physio ball or do stretches such the Cobra pose in yoga.
Other ways to help prevent back pain include using a lumbar support pillow on your chair (you can use a BackBridge device or even a rolled up towel in a pinch) and, of course, making sure your chair is adjusted to the right height and degrees of incline.
I am a firm believer that structural factors are only one part of the equation in the cause of back pain, so in addition to adhering to these tips, make sure you are eating a healthy varied diet that is agreeable with your digestion.
- Dr. Todd Sinett, NYC-based chiropractor and author of 3 Weeks to a Better Back, where you can find more specifics on eliminating back pain - from exercises to recipes and much more.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to read these next…
Body Mechanics: Your Back Pain May Not Be All About Your Back
Mobility Training Tips to Help Relieve Lower Back Pain
About Dr. Sinett: Dr. Todd Sinett, a NYC-based chiropractor, challenges the current approach to back pain with a three-pronged approach that addresses structural, emotional and dietary factors to identify and treat the root cause of the pain in order to help his patients lead healthier, happier lives. Devoted to providing his expertise beyond his clientele, Sinett is the author of 3 Weeks to a Better Back (October 2015), and The Truth About Back Pain, his first title. Sinett is also the creator of the BackBridge™ System, the first and only back pain device developed to help relieve core imbalance with stackable levels to help users gain flexibility and improve the health of their spine in just two minutes a day. For more information about Dr. Sinett, please visit www.drsinett.com.
