How To Relieve Back Pain From Sitting?
Back pain is a very common disease in modern life. Bad sitting posture is the main cause of this disease. Negligence can lead to severe damage.
Moreover, this health issue can cause bigger damage. But there are ways to deal with this. To relieve your back pain from sitting, you must follow some guidelines of good posture.
In this article, we’ve tried to give you all the information on back pain, like the cause, prevention, and treatment. Hopefully, you will have a pain-free life.
Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain When Sitting
Dr. John Ventrudo says that regular pain in the lower back may cause a serious hamper in a person’s daily routine. There are many reasons why sitting could be causing you back pain.
Both the level of unease and posture can play a role in finding the cause of the problem. Possible causes of pain are:
1. Poor Posture
Poor posture is the main reason for lower back pain. Bad posture is one of the most obvious causes of seated lower back discomfort. Muscles and joints are strained and bent as people slump on seats and PCs.
Even if you're in a great posture to start the day, it may worsen as you spend more time in your seat.
2. Herniated Disc
When you have a herniated disc, you may first notice pain in the back area. Your disc has stretched due to the strain. The result is pain and maybe immobility. This happens when nerves and the spinal cord are stretchy.
A common side effect of getting older is having a herniated disc. A fall, improper lifting, or repetitive action can also lead to this issue.
3. Inadequate Ergonomics
Poor ergonomics, such as an unfit chair size, lack of spine support, seat covering, a badly set display, a bad posture, or a bad setup, may lead to back pain.
Changing the furniture, taking regular breaks, and employing proper support are all ways to prevent pain and promote a healthier way to sit.
4. Sciatica
Pain along the sciatic nerve that goes from the lower back to the back of each leg is sciatica. There are many potential causes. Being a bone fracture on the spine is one of them.
It can vary from regular pain to a jolting feeling like an electrical shock. Hours of sitting can worsen it, but it usually harms a single side.
5. Spinal Stenosis
The spinal cord goes by the spinal canal. It links your brain to the rest of your nervous system. Pressing the spinal cord can result in unease, weakness, or numbing if the tube is too tiny. That condition is known as spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis can arise from many different causes, like trauma, arthritis, tumors, and infections. Some persons have naturally smaller spinal canals than usual.
6. Muscle Imbalances
Lower back pain can be worsened by rigidity and muscle weakness. In this case, weak core muscles and overly tight hamstrings might throw off your body's healthy position, leading to pain.
7. Sedentary Lifestyle
Lower back pain while sitting is a usual sign of a sedentary lifestyle. It happens due to the weakening of muscles, bad posture, less blood flow, spinal bending, lack of activity, and maybe extra weight.
Regular exercise, good posture, periodic rest, and focusing on muscle tone can all help reduce severe pain.
8. Psychological Stress
Psychological stress is a common cause of lower back discomfort when sitting. Tense muscles and poor posture brought on by stress can put extra strain on the spine, causing any previous pain in the lower back.
Managing stressful lower back pain can benefit from meditation, exercise, and counseling.
How To Prevent Back Pain From Sitting Too Long
The positive news is that many cases of lower back pain are solved on their own in a few days to weeks, and surgical treatment is rarely necessary.
Also, remedies as easy as this can be very useful in preventing back pain and ensuring that it doesn't come again:
1. Maintaining proper posture
Stand with your feet against the wall to get a sense of how your body is. You should be able to touch the wall with your thighs, posterior, and scalp. Your hand should easily fit behind your lower back.
Please take normal, forward steps now. Maintain a good posture and fix it fast if it changes.
2. Taking regular breaks and stretching
Take a break from working every ten minutes for a minimum of a minute to get up and stretch.
After every 20 minutes of work, you should get up and move around for at least a few minutes, even if you take a break in the middle. Doing so boosts blood flow and lessens muscle tension and joint stiffness.
3. Engaging in physical activity
You may believe skipping physical activity and resting will help your back pain most. If you're having pain, resting for over a day or two could not help.
Experts show regular exercise reduces both pain and muscle strain. If you need advice on back-strengthening, go to the doctor or an instructor at the gym.
4. Choosing the right chair and desk setup
A chair with an upright back or low-back rest prevents back strain. Maintain a little tilt between your thighs while sitting.
Keep your computer screen directly in front of you, at arm's length, for less pressure on your neck and eyes. The ideal height for a computer screen is two to three inches above the user.
Treatment Options for Back Pain from Sitting
Back pain is the 3rd highest reason why people visit the doctor. The good news is, back pain treatment options are easy to follow.
1. Over-the-Counter Medications
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are effective medications that also reduce pain and discomfort.
2. Heat and Cold Therapy
Applying ice to your back will help lessen any pain you may get. Don't take the ice pack off for at least 20 minutes. You can repeat this once per hour.
A lot of people find heat relaxing once the pain goes away. It also helps the body repair by improving blood flow to the back.
3. Physical Therapy
The physical benefits of yoga consist of more mobility and strong muscles. The poses are easily adjustable in various programs.
4. Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is another hands-on technique. When offered by an expert, this therapy helps people with back pain and poor mobility return some of their former possible motion.
5. Massage
When you get up from the massage table, does that pain in your back go away? People with severe back pain reported less pain and better function after receiving a massage once a week for ten weeks. After a year, the benefits were almost gone.
6. Yoga and Pilates
Traditional therapy for back pain was bed rest. It can worsen chronic back pain and cause other health problems. Don't allow yourself more than two days of rest. You need to get up and start moving again.
Exercising is one of the quickest methods to feel relief from back pain. You may go for yoga and pilates.
7. Alternative Therapies
Thinking of a psychologist when you have back pain can be rare. However, CBT is beneficial in the short and long run for treating chronic back pain.
8. Consultation with a Healthcare Professional
If you are not improving following the above, then you should see a doctor. Proper consultation and further treatment will help you regain a healthy life.
Best Sitting Positions for Lower Back Pain
Changing to a more upright position can help. Too much time spent sitting is bad for your health. When you do it with your back bent ahead, hunched to one side, you put extra stress on your backbone. This might cause pain, among other problems.
Maintain a neutral spine and avoid tilting your pelvis ahead. If you do that, you'll end up with a swayback. You can feel the expansion of the small back if you sit up straight.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I stop my back from hurting when I sit all day?
You can easily conquer back pain if you maintain the proper sitting position while ensuring your comfort. Put enough support to maintain the natural curvature of your body.
Also, take part in regular exercise and stretches to lessen muscle stiffness.
How can I relax my back?
Take several breaks and adapt to such a sitting position that doesn’t put much pressure on your back. Take care of your weight and maintain a balanced diet.
While you are sitting in one position for a long time, make time to stretch your body.
What is the fastest way to relieve back pain?
The fastest relief that you can rely on is on exercises and physical activities. Besides, you can use cold, or hot presses to get instant relief.
Why is sitting so painful?
Sitting can be painful when your body isn’t in the right alignment. You need to move around and take breaks in between while ensuring the right posture if you want to avoid pain.
Bottom Line
Even though pain in the back is common, it usually worsens with age. Precautions we can take to safeguard our spines and keep them strong as we age. You must follow the basic steps to relieve back pain from sitting.
Poor sitting posture is often at least slightly to blame. To keep your back in tip-top shape, always paying attention to your posture is important. Try to keep tight abdominal muscles that help your spine, and contact an expert when it is bad or remains.
