Got Back Pain? Why Your Office Chair Could Be At Fault

Understanding back pain and its possible causes is a first step on the road to pain relief. Learn how something as innocuous as an office chair could cause you body pains.
Over the years, our knowledge about what causes back pain has evolved and expanded. In the past, people believed that those who worked in offices are less prone to back pain and that those whose work involves a great deal of hard labor are the ones most at risk. It was believed that physical labor was indeed the most common work-related cause of back pain.

Today, however, we know that this belief is mistaken. In fact, a majority of people who complain about back pain these days are those who are often confined to their computers or office desks. Just like people whose work involves hard physical labor and heavy lifting, office workers who spend the entire day seated in a cubicle or behind a desk are at high risk for back pain.

Why is this so? How can you get back pain simply by sitting in an office chair all day? First of all, you need to realize that your body was not designed to remain in the same position for too long. So, when you remain seated for an extended period, your body will naturally complain and that complaint is almost always translated to a painful back. Second of all, when a person has to sit for too long, he will most likely begin to slouch after some time. And when you’ve been slouching for hours, your body will again complain by sending painful signals along your back. That is because slouching throws your spine out of its proper alignment.

So, how do you make sure that your office chair or work area does not cause you any more pain? Taking short breaks every hour is a good option. Since you already know that your body is not meant to stay in a single position for extended periods, you should stand up and stretch once in a while. To avoid stiffness in your muscles and joints, you may want to walk around a bit as well. There are also a number of mild stretching exercises that you can do right at your desk to serve this purpose.

As for maintaining proper posture, you may want to switch to an ergonomic chair. This type of office chair is especially designed with a backrest that has a contour which follows the natural curve of your spine. So when you lean back against an ergonomic chair’s backrest, you are assured of always having the proper posture. If, however, you can’t afford to buy a new ergonomic chair, there are less expensive options available such as lumbar support cushions. These cushions are designed in such a way that they allow you to maintain good posture while in a sitting position.

Now you know why and how your office chair can actually cause you to suffer excruciating pain in your back. The next step towards alleviating back pain and preventing a recurrence is now totally up to you.