How to Prevent Back Pain from Sitting All Day at the Computer

Computers are relied on more than ever now. We use them almost daily for our day-to-day jobs and activities. There's one other thing that unfortunately everyone has in common when it comes to computers: back pain.

Considering how long some of our job shifts tend to be and how demanding they are regardless of where you work, you can spend up to 8 hours in front of a computer and your body will be paying the price! Upper and lower back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain are all the most commonly seen consequences of sitting all day at the computer. 

A lot of people come to our physiotherapy clinic for help after the fact, which is unfortunate because there are several ways you can prevent pain from developing and getting worse in the first place. Here are some tips on how to prevent back pain from sitting all day.

1. Make coffee breaks mandatory

It's a little too easy to get so focused on a task that you forget to get up and out of your chair. However, taking breaks for coffee or lunch where necessary can really go a long way in helping you.

Even if it's only for 5 minutes here and there, getting up and moving around is how we keep our backs and bodies healthy and happy. After all, we were not built by nature to be sedentary; rather, we were naturally designed to move. 

If you have trouble remembering, try setting a timer on your phone or a reminder that you will move around after a Zoom meeting, for example. Every little action counts when it comes to caring for your body!

2. Adjust where necessary

Many problems that arise from back pain while sitting are often due to the chair itself. Nowadays, most modern office chairs are built to be re-adjusted based on your needs. 

That being said, it's not a failsafe solution to adjust only your chair. Making minor adjustments to your desk and even changing the type of chair could potentially help. 

Standing desks are being introduced as a potential strategy to correct posture without your even realizing. If you can afford this option, it's worth a shot. If not, take the first baby step and adjust your chair and desk where it's most necessary.

3. Add some support

You know that pillow you have in the living room on your couch? Sometimes a little support can go a very long way if you need to sit for several hours. 

If you've returned to working at your office outside of home, take with you a small rounded pillow and when you sit down, place it between your upper and lower back. This is what we often refer to as lumbar support. It's a pillow designed specifically to help you correct your posture if you are going to need to sit for a long time. 

Speaking of posture...

4. Practice correcting your posture

Pillows help, however not every chair at the office may be ergonomically correct for your posture's sake. Some of us may rely on our kitchen chairs if we work from home, and not all chairs were designed to allow pillows to be placed behind us. That's why it matters that you not only use tools available to use for posture practice, but also you practice daily. Some things you can do to help you practice include:

• Sit tall when sitting. Make sure equal weight is being placed on the 'sitting bones' (aka the lower part of your pelvis), your feet are flat on the floor, and your hips and knees are at 90 degree angles.

• Stand tall as well, being sure to lift up your breast bone and at the back of your head.

• Keep your shoulders down and back, and pull your stomach in to engage your lower abdomen's muscles (i.e. keep your core active!).

• Make sure your ears stay level when at the computer, without side tilting.

• Your feet should remain about hip width apart, whether standing or sitting.

• Move your keyboard to about belly button height. This will allow you to have a slightly open elbow angle. If you're broad chested, consider using a split keyboard.

Practicing these simple and small actions daily can really go a long way to correcting your posture! Keep in mind that it will take some time to see improvements and that these tips are not overnight fixes. It takes daily practice to see some real results.

5. Stay active

It's way too easy to fall into a routine of inactivity after being at the computer for work all day, and this can lend to your having frequent back pain. Try to add a workout routine before or after work (making sure you take rest days as well), or even go for a walk before or afterwards. Cleaning can also be a good way to stay active (so long as you don't go overboard on that either!).

Remember that some activity is better than no activity at all. Staying active is key to both preventing pains and aches as well as correcting our postures and keeping us in good health. 

When to seek help

As great as it is to keep our bodies moving, many of us don't have the option to pursue a more active job or lifestyle. That's why it's so important to seek help from a physiotherapist before things get worse! You should absolutely seek professional help if you're experiencing these signs:

• Tingling and numbness

• Small niggles of pain that return frequently

• Your pain has lasted for over a week

• It's getting unbearable to sit at your computer for very long

• There's pain even when correcting your posture (this is not normal)

• You're constantly worrying about your pain (if so go ahead and come see us)

Contact us today for an assessment and get back to enjoying your work day pain-free!

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