Why Your Desk Job Might Be the Root Cause of Your Lower Back Pain: Solutions & Prevention

Your desk job might be the root cause of your lower back pain. If you think about it, you spend eight hours or more sitting at your computer monitor. In between, you’re sitting in meetings or sitting in the cafeteria during breaks. A lot of your office activities involve sitting. 

If you’re starting to experience lower back pain, it’s time to look closer at your desk job. Let us help you identify the signs that your office work is the culprit of your back pain and how you can treat it.

How Your Desk Job Contributes to Lower Back Pain

A typical pattern for office workers who sit for extended periods is the development of back ailments, and the degree of pain varies per individual. If you think you’re one of the individuals who experience back pain at your desk job, check if you’re familiar with these scenarios.

• Prolonged Sitting and Spinal Compression: Hours spent at the desk put pressure on the lower spine and the muscles around it, eventually leading to lumbar area stiffness.
• Poor Posture and Slouched Sitting: Prolonged periods of sitting cause you to slouch unconsciously, which leads to pain in your back muscles.
• Lack of Movement and Muscle Imbalance: Lack of movement while sitting stiffens your hip flexors, and your glutes relax and weaken over time due to immobility.
• Incorrect Ergonomics and Desk Setup: The wrong office chair makes it hard to maintain good posture. It disrupts your back’s natural curve, causing muscle tension.

Signs Your Desk Job Is Causing Your Lower Back Pain

Feeling discomfort on your back during your workdays is a sign that your desk job might be the root cause of your lower back pain. Know how to spot the signs and act on them before it’s too late.

• Stiffness and Soreness After Sitting Too Long: Desk workers spend long hours sitting. Over time, this causes lower spinal strain, leading to persistent discomfort.
• Radiating Pain to the Hips or Legs: If pain persists from your lower back and spreads to your hips or legs, it’s a sign that your desk job is causing severe lower back pain.
• Pain That Improves with Movement: You feel muscle pain when in a sitting posture, and standing up or walking helps you reduce the pain you feel.

Ways to Prevent and Relieve Desk Job Lower Back Pain

Awareness of the causes and the symptoms of lower back pain at work is the first step to your treatment. Follow these tips to manage your lower back pain.

Set Up Your Desk Ergonomically for Better Spinal Health

You spend long periods of time at your workspace; make it as comfortable as possible. As a first step to improving your spinal health, get an ergonomic chair with good lumbar support to establish proper posture. You’ll relieve tension on your back and feel productive all day.

Incorporate Frequent Movement and Desk Stretches

Take frequent breaks from sitting at your desk to encourage muscle movement. Do some walking, shoulder rolls, hip twists, and stretches every hour. Any light physical activity will prevent stiffness and keep you and your spine healthy.

Build Strength with Exercises for Lower Back Support

Regular exercise is the key to preventing lower back pain. Incorporating core exercises in your daily routine strengthens your lower torso and keeps your spine stable. It will significantly reduce pain and relieve tension in your spine.

Seek Chiropractic Care for Lasting Relief

If your desk job is causing back problems leading to chronic pain, you need to seek professional help to restore function. Chiropractic adjustments help to relieve pressure in the spine and release tension in your back muscles for lasting comfort.

Why Choose Allied Pain and Wellness for Lower Back Pain Relief?

Headed by Dr. Shahen Simian, our team offers noninvasive care and always considers your well-being. Trust us to give you lasting healing and a higher quality of life.

• Focused on your well-being: Our holistic approach concentrates on lasting treatment that helps prevent future injuries and ailments.
• Trusted for posture treatment: We provide dedicated treatment to help align your posture and relieve pain.
• Personalized approaches just for you: We customize chiropractic treatments to support your unique posture and lifestyle.
• Noninvasive care for lasting results: Our methods don’t require surgery and rely on natural ways to heal your body.

Takeaway

Working a desk job is necessary to make a living, but it doesn’t have to cost you your spinal health.

We’ve given you all the essential information about why your desk job might be the root cause of your lower back pain, and now it’s time for you to act.

Take small steps. Start by making it a habit to take stretching breaks. Take it further and invest in ergonomic office equipment and do strength training. If you need immediate treatment, Dr. Simian is always here to provide you with attentive, nonsurgical care.

Schedule an appointment with Allied Pain and Wellness today and let’s get you back to living a pain-free life.