How to Reduce Back Pain Despite its Rising Prevalence
Computers and technology have given rise to amazing innovations, but they have also contributed to increasing health issues, including a rising prevalence of back pain. Half of working Americans admit to struggling with some form of back pain, and $50 billion is spent each year treating it.
Your back is involved in almost every movement you make and chronic back pain can significantly impact your quality of life, making day-to-day activities extremely challenging. Static posture is one of the primary reasons for back problems. Practicing good posture, incorporating at-work stretching exercises and taking frequent breaks can release stress and reduce back pain.
Causes and Risks of Rising Back Pain
The technological era has given rise to many professions that require long periods of sitting. Occupational sitting hazards have even caught the attention of the Center for Disease Control. Their research has demonstrated that prolonged sitting time can be linked to premature mortality and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome and obesity.
How to Reduce Back Pain: Take Breaks
In today’s workplace, the average worker spends more than half the work day seated. Where much of this sitting can’t be avoided, choosing to take breaks from prolonged sitting has shown to improve metabolic profiles, body mass indexes, triglyceride levels and glucose levels. Plan time throughout your workday to stand up and walk around, even for just five or 10 minutes at a time.
How to Reduce Back Pain: Get Up and Stretch
You can avoid many effects of debilitating back pain by integrating some simple stretches and exercises into your day. The New York Times recently published an article recommending the following stretches to help alleviate workplace back pain:
- Neck stretch: Stand straight with your feet apart. Entwine your fingers and hold the nape of your neck. Look upwards toward the ceiling and stretch your neck to release pressure.
- Shoulder shrugs: Inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders up to your ears. Hold for five seconds and release while exhaling. You can also move your shoulders in circular motion to alleviate stress.
- Back hug: Cross your arms and place your right hand on the left shoulder and the left hand on your right shoulder. Inhale and exhale deeply, hold for five seconds and release.
- Leg extension: Beneficial for your abs and legs, practice leg extensions at work twice a day. While sitting, extend your legs out in front of you, so they’re parallel to the floor. Flex and point your toes downward in front of you. Repeat the exercise five times.
How to Reduce Back Pain: Think About Your Posture
One of the biggest contributors to workplace back pain is founded in your posture. Focus on good posture to support the delicate structures in your back and spine and keep them healthy. Lazy posture and poor back support strains and stresses your spine. Over time, these seemingly harmless strains and stresses can change the anatomical characteristics of your spine. This causes your blood vessels and nerves to constrict and also results in problems with your joints, spinal discs and muscles. All of these factors can result in serious back, back and/or shoulder problems. Bad posture even causes some people to suffer from fatigue, headaches and other health problems.
Consult Your Doctor
It’s wise to receive guidance from your doctor about what kind of treatment course you need to manage your back pain. The team at Spinal Healthcare & Physical Medicine can help you pinpoint a treatment/prevention plan to reduce your pain and restore your ability to function and move normally throughout the day.
To learn more about how you can prevent chronic back pain from work-related circumstances, please contact us or call (260) 493-6565 for a free consultation. We can help you learn how to improve your posture, maximize and integrate breaks into your workday, and perform stretches and exercises that can help save you from the crippling effects of back pain.
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