Exercises for Lower Back Pain from Sitting

Sitting for a long time in front of the computer will cause various health problems, especially on the back. This often happens to office workers who have to work in a sitting position. As reported by health.com, this is the main reason why four out of five women end up with back pain. However, researchers from Cornell University and the Cleveland Clinic Center for Spine Health say that treating back pain from sitting too long requires some simple changes in how you work. Let's look at various ways to deal with back pain from sitting too long.

How to deal with back pain due to too long sitting

1. Adjust the chair

The ideal chair for work must be stable. The seat height must also be adjusted, and the backrest of the chair must be adjustable in height and slope. This is called ergonomics, which is the study of equipment and devices designed in accordance with the body and movement of humans. The following are positions that are in accordance with the ergonomics concept, namely:

Make sure your lower back (lumbar spine) curves forward naturally. This is very important to reduce the pressure on your back. Many ergonomically designed chairs have lumbar support to maintain the spinal curve. If your chair does not have it, you can use a lumbar support pillow and place it behind your back. If you also don't have it, you can sit forward in your chair so you can let the spine fall naturally on the curve.
Adjust the height of your chair and table. A suitable table height should allow your arms to rest comfortably at a 90 ° angle. Your wrist must be no higher than your elbow. The top of your computer screen must also be at eye level or slightly below it.
Place your feet flat on the floor and your back against the chair. Shoulders should be relaxed and not bent.

2. Stretch your back

Get up from the chair and stretch your body every 30-60 minutes. Sitting for long periods of time can put pressure on the spinal discs and weaken the muscles that support your back. "Walking for a few seconds and stretching your back forward is enough to compensate for the negative effects of sitting," said Donald R. Murphy, a clinical teaching assistant at Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

You can also stand up and place your hands on your lower back. Then, push your hips slowly forward by slightly arching your back. This will release pressure on the disc. If you want to do some other variations, you can do a "cobra" position, where you lie on your stomach and press your hand on the floor, so that only the chest is lifted up. Research shows that doing cobra positions 15 times a day can reduce the possibility of future back pain.

3. Take a break

Only by getting up from your chair can you help your body break the tense muscle cycle. "We recommend taking lots of small breaks to relax muscles and reduce stress," said Erik Peper, a lecturer at the Institute for Holistic Health Studies at San Francisco State University. Drop your hands on your lap or raise and drop your shoulders for a few seconds every few minutes.

4. Strengthen core muscles

To help your body deal with back pain from sitting, then do core exercises like Pilates to strengthen your core muscles. Core exercises can train your muscles to work more efficiently against the negative effects of sitting. In addition to doing specific exercises for your back, you can do aerobic exercise regularly to ward off back pain.

In general, the best treatment for back pain from sitting too long is to stay active, and if necessary use painkillers. The more you move, the weaker your back muscles, and they will get hurt in the long run. For back pain that lasts more than six weeks, treatment usually involves a combination of painkillers, acupuncture, exercise, or manual therapy.

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