The traditional business hours can leave employees feeling physically exhausted. The repetitive activity of sitting for eight hours a day, five times a week, can cause back pain.
People who are working from home aren’t excluded from this. Flexible arrangements can blur the lines between work and recreational activities, resulting in inactivity. Unfortunately, this office routine can lead to stiffness, either causing or worsening existing back problems.
Back pain can range from a sharp ache to dull persistent pain. Whether this is mild or severe, back pain can greatly affect your life. For instance, this discomfort can influence your work performance and make it difficult to concentrate on your tasks.
When left unaddressed, acute back pain can become chronic over time. Considering this, make sure to see an orthopedic doctor, especially if you’re experiencing recurring and prolonged backaches. A doctor can assess your case, rule out symptoms, and identify the root cause of the problem.
Suppose your diagnosis requires surgery; your orthopedist can perform this and assist you with rehabilitation. This orthopedic procedure can help you relieve the pressure on your back so you can become productive again.
If you haven’t found a doctor yet, you can visit Dickinsonneurosurgery.com and other similar sites. Working with trained and licensed physicians gives you confidence and peace of mind that the surgery will turn out successfully.
If you’re experiencing back pain at work, keep on reading to know more about it:
If you’ve been sidetracked by back pain, you’re not alone. Research shows how people experience a sore and stiff back at some point in their lives.
Many factors contribute to back pain at work. One common theme that’s present among all problems is the nature of one’s job. Unfortunately, work-related back pain or injuries can occur separately or in some combination among these usual cases.
A routine desk job doesn’t directly result in back pain unless you frequently forget to stand and stretch throughout the day. Sitting the entire day will put tension on your back since you’re only maintaining one alignment for a long time. Awkward sitting posture, inadequate back support, or a poorly designed workstation can also contribute to the problem.
There are also times that back pain is an existing employee problem, but it’s been aggravated by the nature of one’s job. Suppose you’ve recently sustained an injury at home or have mild scoliosis; sitting at your desk for nearly the entire work duration can put much burden on your back. At the same time, overweight people involved in such sedentary activities are most likely to suffer from a sore back.
Similar to inactivity, static work posture can contribute to back pain. Maintaining one spine alignment for a prolonged period can put tension on your back.
Operating room (OR) nurses, surgeons, security guards, flight attendants, and chefs are most probably not a stranger to back pain. The nature of their work compels them to stand nearly the entire day.
Likewise, jobs that require women to wear and walk on high heels all the time are detrimental to one’s back health. These shoes put much tension on your lower back, resulting in pain and discomfort.
According to Sajid Surve, a doctor of osteopathic (D.O.) medicine, it’s typical for people who spend most of the time in high heels to experience low back, neck, and shoulder pain  as the footwear style can disrupt the body’s natural form. Wearing high heels frequently may lead to spine alignment problems, hurting your joints, vertebral discs, and back ligaments.
Apart from standing or sitting the entire day, jobs that require people to carry heavy items can cause or contribute to an existing sore back. The repetitive lifting, twisting, moving, and unloading of heavy objects can hurt the back muscles. Construction workers, warehouse staff, and carpenters aren’t a stranger to this problem.
Exerting much effort to lift items can strain the back muscles. This back problem can develop into degenerative spinal changes as the person ages over time. Unfortunately, untreated acute injury can lead to chronic issues.
While back pain at work is common, there are simple ways and self-help techniques to address, manage, and keep the pain from returning.
Practicing good posture when sitting and standing is an effective way to keep backaches at bay. Good posture reduces the stress on the ligaments and abnormal wearing of joint surfaces. It allows your back muscles to function as they should.
Considering this, make sure to maintain a good posture in the workplace. Suppose you’re required to be at your desk most of the time; try to catch yourself when you’re slouching. Make sure to position your chair at the right and comfortable height.
If you’re working at home, invest in a quality ergonomic chair to receive proper back support. Stop working on the couch or poorly-designed chairs. These furniture items don’t give you the right lumbar support.
Another way to prevent back pain from worsening is to notice bodily cues. If you’re already experiencing back muscle fatigue, stand and stretch. At times, stretching your muscles are one way to decrease soreness. If you’ve been lifting too much, rest up and stretch your back gently.
Suppose you’re in the office, set the alarm on your phone so you’d be reminded to move around. To prevent risk for neck pain, make sure to perform a few neck exercises as well.
When you get home, make sure not to repeat the same practice. Don’t stay in bed or couch longer than necessary. Instead, try to perform back and core strengthening exercises for a couple of minutes a day. Moving your body can minimize muscle tension and promote relief. Stay active, but remember to listen to your body and respect its cues.
While back pain at work isn’t easy, taking proactive steps to understand it gives you insights on how to manage it. Adjust your workstation and cultivate the right habits to reduce muscle tension and prevent pain. When successful, applying the simple strategies above can help you lead a healthy and productive life.
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