Many people suffer from back pain at work. To get back pain relief at work you need to follow some simple common sense tips that will get you started in the right direction to alleviate back pain.

Often it is just a bad chair you are using or sitting with bad posture for hours. Just a few tips can make the world of difference. And they are not difficult.

Try some of them published in an article in workarrow.com below

Get Back Pain Relief At Work

Here are some simple tips to help you alleviate back pain at work

Examine your workstation

You need to setup your working space and make it optimal for whatever you do. Aside from having a good office chair, you need to make sure that your computer monitor, keyboard, filing cabinets, paper trays, among others are adjusted and arranged properly so you do not have to exert extra effort using or reaching for them.

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a good reference on how you can tweak your workstation. You can access the reference through their website.

 

Using the right bag

If you regularly bring a briefcase, purse, or bag to work, make sure that it does not weigh more than 10 per cent of your weight. Anything more than that is too heavy for your body. Ideally, you want a bag that has a long strap like a messenger bag. The key to this is weight distribution. Make sure it does not burden one side of your body with more weight. If this is the case, switch shoulders from time to time.

 

When using backpacks for your laptop, make sure that the bag conforms to the shape of your back and is not hanging low. Carry your laptop bag improperly and you subject your shoulders and back to undue stress.

 

Stretching

Experts recommend that you get up from your workstation and stretch at least twice every hour. This does not take much time and is like pressing the reset button for your tired body. Stretch the way you do when you wake up. Do it with your arms stretching upward to the ceiling. You can also rotate your trunk from side to side, do some shoulder rolls, stretch your shoulders, tilt your neck in all directions, or do some lunges.

 

 

Support and cushion

If you spend most of your time at your desk, make sure that you have a good chair to start with. A well-designed office chair is essential to preventing back pain. The seat must be comfortable with the backrest conforming to your back so as to support your spine. If your chair does not provide enough back support, use a small pillow or a rolled towel to give that added lumbar support.

 

If your job requires you to stand for long periods of time, stand on a rubber mat. This will help you avoid having a sore back and will also help promote good circulation.

 

Body mechanics

You might have experienced an excruciating pain when you tried to pick up a pen from the floor at one point or another. Remember that proper body mechanics is critical in preventing back pain. If you need to pick up something from the floor, bend your knees and lower your whole body to get close enough to the object you need to pick up. In case you are involved in some heavy lifting at work, use the muscles of your legs, thigh, and tummy to lift the weight. Avoid bending over or twisting while dealing with heavy loads.

 

You have to be very conscious of imbalances in your body when you do things at work. Do you tend to lean against your desk while thinking? Do you cradle the phone between your head and shoulder while talking? Or maybe you have a wallet in your back pocket that impinges on a nerve on your buttock?

 

Crunches and lunches

It is widely accepted that strengthening your core muscles will help prevent back pain. However, you have to remember that what you eat may also help. You need to take in food rich in calcium to make your bones strong. Medical experts also suggest consuming foods rich in vitamin K. You can find it in leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. Stronger bones will mean a stronger frame for your whole body.

 

Diet is also linked to fighting off cortisol, a hormone produced by our body during stressful situations. A healthy workday diet that includes protein, vegetables, fruits, grains, and a lot of water is helpful in preventing back pain.

 

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Here is a quick and easy stretch to help alleviate the pain from sitting for long periods by chiropractor Mark Kennedy.

In this video yoga therapist Rebecca from Evolve Wellness Center gives you a simple twist exercise you can do while in your work chair to help you with back pain from sitting at your desk.

Here Dr Richard Norris talks about the problems associated with sitting for long periods.

 
So its not brain surgery! Just follow a few common sense habits each day and it should help you at your desk if you work long hours in front of the computer. Just be disciplined and don’t fall back into old habits. Stay positive and you should see the benefits within a week or two and finally get back pain relief at work.

For more details on how to get back pain relief at work, take a look at Jesse Cannone’s book all about getting rid of back pain. You can grab a free copy from our website.