Back in March 2019, we were all legally banished from our offices due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Thrown into working from home abruptly, many of us had no time to set up a proper home office. Also, didn’t we all think that we will get back to commuting within a few weeks? Thus, setting up an ergonomic workstation was not our priority.
With no social distractions and no excuse to go out, deskbound workers often forget to take breaks and find it hard to determine when it’s time to switch off from work. This leads to longer working hours, increased stress and burnout. And with this situation becoming the new normal for many of us, we now start to realise that our DIY desks (AKA kitchen counters, coffee tables and no-backrest-chairs) are destroying our back and neck muscles.
It is true that working from home has many benefits, such as getting the chance to spend more cuddling time with kids and pets, having less commute stress and saving money on those expensive lunches. However, remote working also means little to no physical activity, prolonged sitting and poor posture: a perfect combination of factors that lead to back pain.
What started out as two weeks seems to be turning into an indefinite working from home reality, and we already know that we have ruined our relationship with our achy backs, so let’s try and save what is left of it!
How Sitting Causes Back Pain
Creaky backs, aching shoulders and stiff joints? We hear you. This combination has become a common concern that has been plaguing us over the past year. Our bodies are motion machines, which means that sitting for a long time is harmful.
Simply put, immobility causes illness. There is much more pressure on the discs when you are sitting rather than when you are standing. The joints are misaligned, back and neck muscles get tense which increases the risk of injury.
Thanks to its S-shape, our spine helps to support our body movements. It is composed of small bones called vertebrae, separated by discs that help relieve stress associated with movement. When you sit for too long, you are not only putting pressure on vertebral discs, but you are also hurting your neck muscles and back ligaments because your entire spine is compressed.
It may look like sitting reduces stress on your body, while, in fact, it exposes your back and neck to a different kind of stress. This means that prolonged sitting starts by causing temporary discomfort which turns into chronic pain in the lumbar spine.
Poor Posture And Back Pain
How many times did your mom nag you about fixing your posture? Well, we should have listened to our mothers, because slouching is very unhealthy!
There are many common reasons behind back pain. However, bad posture is one of the main causes to trigger it. Our posture is poor when too much stress is put on our joints, muscles and vertebrae because our spine’s position is unnatural. An extended poor posture puts pressure on vertebral and lumbar tissues which causes painful symptoms, such as back and neck pains.
Depending on the posture, different areas of the back can hurt. What is considered as your everyday posture might be the cause of serious health problems like spinal stenosis due to herniated discs and thickened ligaments. Moreover, damaged discs lead to pinched-off nerves including the sciatic nerves. Prolonged sitting triggers sciatica and causes pain in the joints and muscle tissues.
The first step is to recognize your poor posture, highlight its causes and then try to fix it.
Leaning Forward
Between managing your hectic mailbox and endless meetings, you find yourself slouching unawarely. Gravity pulls your head -- which weighs 11lbs (5kg) on average -- down and forward and makes your back curve. Leaning forward from the lower back can put pressure on the lower part of the spine, which compresses your discs and causes back pain.
Keyboard Angle
When typing, we often rest our forearms or wrists on the surface of the desk and it is one of the worst things we can do to our bodies. It restricts circulation and compresses sensitive nerves. Using a suitable keyboard, positioned at a height that allows your shoulders to be relaxed, helps to improve your posture.
H3: Monitor too High / too Low
If you are forced to tilt your head backwards or bend your neck forward when looking at your screen then you are doing it wrong. Such positions cause discomfort and pain.
Setting the monitor correctly plays a crucial role in improving your posture. It should be positioned directly in front of you, at the center, not too far, not too close. A monitor properly set means that you are able to see the entire screen, without compromising your vision or moving any part of your body.
Can a standing desk help my back pain?
Aren’t we already tired of hearing lectures about the best ergonomic seating and how your body and every item should be at a perfect angle? Let’s be real for a second. Our living situations are not the same. Some of us have no room to accommodate a proper desk, while the other ones can’t afford fancy equipment and office appliances. And between juggling work, kids and household chores, the last thing we pay attention to, is the way we sit.
Yet, we know that swallowing painkillers and using ice packs are techniques that no longer work for relieving our back pain. So how about we take a dive into the world of standing desks?
It is proven that using a standing desk is a great way to improve your comfort and health. You will be looking right at the same computer screen while standing and having a good posture, rather than sitting and slouching. These are some benefits of a standing desk:
Increase Productivity
Working while standing makes the major and largest muscles of your body work, which increases blood flow to the brain. This can help change your mood and make you feel refreshed and full of energy. Hence, using a standing desk boosts productivity because it improves the way we work, makes us feel more engaged with our work and environment, and helps us have an active mind.
Relieve Back Pain
Implementing a standing desk into your workstation will give your back a rest. It improves your posture because your body is straightened when you are standing and you are forced to use your core muscles to support your weight. Standing also contributes in relieving the stress and pain from your lumbar spine.
If you suffer from chronic back pain including sciatica or spinal stenosis, replacing some of your sitting time at a standing desk can quickly improve your comfort level and reduce pressure and pain.
H3: Increase Circulation
Sitting can cause blood flow to slow through the legs because your lower body remains relatively static. This sluggish flow causes blood clots and varicose veins to form deep in the legs. Our heart and circulatory system work harder and better when we are standing, as it helps to push blood upward to the heart through the leg veins, and also increases blood flow to the brain which improves cognitive activity.
If you’re a serial sloucher, it’s time to tweak your bad habits! We offer some of the most ergonomic standing desks with different shapes, sizes and prices to meet your specific needs. Take a look now and make the easy switch!
Other Natural Ways to Relieve Back Pain
Back pain is very common and its severity can get higher if not treated, but simple adjustments can help you have a healthy lumbar spine. There are many natural strategies that provide pain relief and reduce medications intake. Read on and find out what works the best for you:
Massage
Massage therapy can be used for back pain management. It helps relieve muscle tightness and tension, and improve tissue elasticity which leads to reducing the pain. Due to the skin and fingers friction, the temperature of the muscle rises which increases blood circulation and decreases muscle tightness. Consequently, restriction and pain are reduced.
Exercising
We often think that staying in bed is the best solution to relieve our back pain. However, physical activity might help in reducing the pain and healing faster. Controlled exercises will help strengthen spine muscles, remove pressure and stiffness from the spinal discs and improve mobility. A proper workout will reduce the severity of pain and minimize pain medication reliance.
Yoga
Yoga is an effective way to reduce back pain, and improve back strength and flexibility. It’s important to stretch the tight muscles that support your back and help you bend and stabilize your spine. If you are suffering from occasional soreness, give yoga a go! It will reduce the pressure on your spine and enable your back to return to its normal alignment.
Chiropractors
Chiropractic care is another treatment option to reduce back pain. It is performed by specially trained health professionals called Chiropractors.The purpose is to align the spine and allow the body to heal itself without surgery through spinal manipulation. When the spine is aligned correctly, weight is distributed equally, joints are more relaxed and your back is remedied.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy will help you improve your strength, endurance and flexibility. Moreover, physical therapists will teach you how to keep your spine aligned and alleviate strain on your back. In order to avoid future back pain, it’s important to do exercises that help strengthen the core muscles and support the back.
Healthy Weight
Musculoskeletal and back pain are directly related to excessive weight. When the body is carrying extra weight, there is more pressure on the spine as it becomes tilted and stressed. Furthermore, the back muscles and ligaments are more strained with every pound gained. Overweight leads to irregular spine curvature and weakens the supporting muscles, which makes simple physical activities, like walking, challenging.
Acupuncture
This traditional therapy can be an effective way to relieve the pain in your lower back. It is performed by professional acupuncturists, and consists of targeting energy points in the body, using needles. It is not a painful or harmful experience. The purpose of this therapy is to stimulate parts of the nervous system, called acupuncture points (found in the lower back, foots, hips…), in order to provide pain relief.
It’s time to get rid of your sedentary habits and stop hunching over your desk for hours!
With their busy schedules, office workers find it hard to incorporate more movement into their day. A great way to be more active, is to invest in a standing desk. It gives you the opportunity to switch to standing and do your usual tasks, like typing, reading and talking on the phone, comfortably. Nevertheless, excessive standing is harmful for your body. Using an adjustable sit-stand desk can help you remember to alternate between sitting and standing every hour or so.
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