How to Prevent Neck and Back Pain Caused by Prolonged Sitting

Back Pain: The Dismal Forecast

The facts are in and the numbers are alarming: Up to 80% of the population, including school-aged children, suffer from some form of back or neck pain. The cause: prolonged hours of sitting in front of a computer screen at work and at home. According to health experts, remaining in a sedentary position for extended periods of time (this includes sitting and standing still) puts excess stress on body, leading to cramped muscles, stiff joints, poor blood circulation, and upper and lower back pain. Improper sitting posture as well as a chair with poor lumbar (low back) support can further exacerbate these conditions. Also on the rise are repetitive stress injuries and cumulative stress disorders.

With back-to-school season in the air, children can expect to be tied to their student desks for the better part of most days, while many college students will also be burning the midnight oil writing papers and studying for exams. In addition, the average child now spends multiple hours a day in front of a TV screen, playing computer games, or chatting online. As for adults, eight to 10-hour workdays are not uncommon, with little time spent away from one's workstation or desk. The outlook for the physical health of a majority of the population thus looks bleak and unpromising.

Back Pain: The Good News

Fortunately, even if you are a student or work in a sedentary job, there are many things you can do to prevent neck and back pain and reduce symptoms associated with prolonged sitting. Regular stretching breaks throughout the day (every 30 minutes or so) – i.e., standing on tip-toes and reaching your arms to the sky, walking to the kitchen for a snack, or taking a stroll around the office – is a good starting point. Better yet, take some time out from your lunch hour for a brisk 15-minute walk or head to the gym for a workout.

However if you can't stray far from your desk, the following are some simple exercises you can do to stretch out those cramped leg and hip muscles, release pressure to the back, and get your blood flowing. You'll be surprised how well your creative juices begin to flow after some basic movement exercises as well…

Lunges are an easy, "on-the-go" form of exercise which you can do at home, at the office, or on the road. Lunges help prevent lower back pain by stretching out your hip flexors and are excellent for working your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

To learn about neck and spine exercises which you can do at your desk and about other forms of exercise which provide lower back pain relief, watch online videos and practice them at home.

Certain yoga poses, such as the Warrior, alleviate stress to the back by opening up the hips and helping you achieve a neutral spine position.

Some of the best rehabilitative low back pain exercises are the plank, the cross canal, the back bridge, and the side bride.