Adult Medicine, Exercise, Family Medicine, Public Health

Sitting at a desk or on your feet all day? Here are four things you can do for your back.

19
Dec

By Barrett White

Many people spend hours at a time on their feet or seated at a desk every day. Over time, either can cause back pain if your posture isn’t very good, or if you have an underlying health condition. Both standing for long hours and sitting at a desk with poor posture can most commonly cause lower back pain, but there are ways you can address it, or prevent it in the first place.

Bad posture is common. Sitting or standing in a slouched or hunched-over position while at work for eight or more hours per day is prolonged poor posture, which can contribute to lower back pain. Even if your back pain isn’t caused by poor posture, it can be made worse by it.

Here are a few ways you can address back pain and poor posture:

  • Strengthen your core: Your core muscles include your back, sides, belly, and butt. If these muscles aren’t strengthened, they might not be able to support your spine very well. This may be a contributor to slouching. Strengthening these muscles with aerobic exercise could help improve posture.
  • Stand up or sit down: If you work behind a desk all day, take time to stand up and stretch. If you’re on your feet all day, take time to sit down. Both activities engage your core to stabilize your spine, like we discussed above. Allowing your body that change in position helps to alleviate the strain.
  • Use supportive shoes and floor mats: If you’re on your feet all day, wear shoes (or shoe inserts) that support your feet in a neutral position. Supportive floor mats can help soften the impact of a day’s work on your body, too.
  • Open your shoulders up: If you’re seated at a desk all day, chances are you lean (or slouch) forward when looking at a computer screen. While common, it’s also hard on your spine. Open your shoulders up throughout the day by gently rolling your shoulders back and down. Feel the muscles in your upper back engage in the movement.

Would you like to chat with your Legacy provider about back pain? Schedule a visit today online or by calling (832) 548-5000.