Three Ways To Minimize Your Back Pain At Work
If you've enjoyed a relaxing summer vacation and are getting set to head back to work this month, don't let your back suffer the consequences of sitting all day. It's common to develop back pain at work that can not only affect your daily tasks, but can also make you feel miserable. It's effective to book a session with a chiropractor when you have back pain; a series of adjustments can reduce your discomfort and improve your quality of life. In the meantime, however, there are several simple steps you can take to minimize your back pain during the workday.
Focus On Your Posture
It's easy to slouch in your chair at work, but doing so can put unhealthy pressure on your back muscles and spine and move things out of alignment. Adjust your chair to ensure you're using the correct posture throughout the day. Your feet should sit on the floor, your knees should be bent at 90 degrees and your arms should be bent and resting in a relaxed manner on your chair's armrests. Keep your shoulders held back and avoid dropping them forward. Be vigilant to hold your head above your shoulders rather than letting it move forward toward your computer. If possible, use a chair with an adjustable lumbar support; turning this knob helps to ensure that your back maintains its proper curve.
Move When You Can
Being sedentary is one of the worst things you can do for your back. Make it a priority to get up and move several times throughout the day. Whether you choose to move every 30 minutes or once per hour depends on your workload and the nature of your job, but a little movement spaced throughout the day allows you to stretch your back muscles and avoid holding everything in the same position for hours at a time. Your workday movements can be as simple as a quick walk around the office or some upper-body twists and bends in your office or cubicle.
Stay Away From Stress
There's little question that workplace stress is common, but you'll do your back a favor by eliminating as much workplace stress as you can. Stress leads to tight muscles, which can hold your back in an improper position and worsen existing back pain. If you're stressed at work, ask to speak to a human resources professional and develop some coping strategies to improve how you handle your job description, interactions with your boss or relationships with your co-workers. Talk to a chiropractor, like Fish Creek Chiropractic, for further help.
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