When you’re at the office, it’s likely that your employer has already provided you with an ergonomic desk and chair. These are useful tools in combating back pain when you have a sedentary job. But when you’ve been thrust into working from home, you often have to make do with what you’ve got. Keep reading for tips on how to protect your back and reduce pain and strain as you navigate a remote work environment.

Walking for Exercise

The best piece of advice anyone can give you to reduce pain is to exercise. Unfortunately, if you already suffer from back pain, you’ll need to proceed with caution. Walking For Health And Fitness explains that there’s a good number of back-based benefits associated with walking.

These include strengthening the spine, improving circulation, and helping you achieve and maintain a healthy posture both at home and at work. If you can’t lift weights and running is out of the question, walk.

A special note for those nearing retirement: don’t overdo it. Even if you find that you don’t have the stamina for a long outdoor walk, you can still get your steps in at your local mall. If you have a home gym, fitness videos, or indoor pool at your disposal, these can also help you keep your spine straight.

How to Walk Away from Back Pain

Prioritize Nutrition

As cliché as it sounds, you are what you eat. And when you eat poorly, you feel poorly. When it comes to your back, you’ll want to prioritize foods high in nutrients such as fiber, probiotics, antioxidants, and omega-three fats. Preferably, stick to fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Texas Spine Clinic suggests avoiding foods high in sugar and refined grains. If possible, skip the milk and red meat as these can trigger inflammation.

Drink More Water

Your brain is approximately 73% water, so it stands to reason that keeping your brain hydrated is essential. Being dehydrated by as little as 2 percent may impair your ability to perform tasks that involve motor skills. Make sure you’re drinking enough water.

Water is essential to maintaining good back health. Day to day activities and the weight of gravity slowly leaches water from your discs. The result is a reduction in disc size and an inability to cushion the spinal vertebrae.

A good rule of thumb is the 8X8 rule of hydration, drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Again, it’s worth repeating, the 8x8 rule is just a guideline. If you are active you will need to drink more, if you are less active you’ll require less. The bottom line is if you are consciously aware of your need to increase your water intake, you’ll develop the habit of drinking more water which will lead to feeling better.

Visit the Chiropractor

A chiropractor is a healthcare professional that focuses on spinal and nervous system disorders. Most often, a chiropractor will help keep your spine healthy by performing periodic adjustments to relieve pain and improve posture. UPMC HealthBeat points out that chiropractic manipulation and massage may promote natural healing and alleviate pain and muscle tension.

Stretch it Out

Have you ever noticed that you instinctively stretch your arms and arch your back when you first wake up? This is one of your body’s natural defenses against stiffness. Make a conscious decision to stretch your back at least a few times each day, which only requires a simple movement.

If you don’t already have one, invest in a foam back roller. Like stretching, these also reduce muscle stiffness and can improve flexibility and range of motion. Further, it acts as a form of self-massage, which can help you relax.

Benefits of a Standing Desk

These are referred to as height-adjustable desks, or sit-stand desks. Using a standing desk can have impressive benefits for health. It may also increase productivity. Using this type of desk can negate the harmful effects of sitting too much.

5 Benefits of Using a Standing Desk:

1. Standing Desks Appear to Reduce Back Pain

   • Back pain is one of the most common complaints of office workers who sit all day.

   • Several studies have been done on employees with long-term back pain. And the conclusion is that there is up to 32% improvement in lower back pain after several weeks of using standing desks

2. Keeps Your Weight Down

   • When compared to a day of sitting at a desk, an equal amount of time spent standing has been shown to burn over 170 additional calories

3. Standing May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

   • A 1953 study found that bus conductors who stood all day had half the risk of heart disease-related deaths as their colleagues in the driver’s seats .

   • Since then, scientists have developed a much greater understanding of the effects of sitting on heart health. Prolonged sedentary time is thought to increase the risk of heart disease by up to 147%

4. Improve Mood and Energy Levels

   • Standing desks appear to have a positive influence on overall mental health and well-being.

   • In one 7-week study, participants using standing desks reported less stress and fatigue than those who remained seated the entire work-day.

   • A whopping 87% of those using standing desks reported increased vigor and energy throughout the day.

   • These findings correspond with broader research on sitting and mental health, which links sedentary time with an increased risk of both depression and anxiety.

5. Stand More, Live Longer

   • Studies have found a strong link between increased sitting time and early death.

   • This could be due to the connection between sedentary time, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

   • In fact, a review of 18 studies found those who sit the most are at a 49% greater risk of dying early than those who sit the least.

Other Tips

• Get up from your desk at least once each hour. Walk, stretch, and allow your spine to straighten out

• Stay hydrated. Your muscles and joints alike require hydration to feel their very best. Keep a filled water bottle handy at all times.

• Get a checkup. If you have chronic back pain — pain that lasts longer than three months — contact your primary care physician. You’ll want to get x-rays to ensure there is nothing mechanically wrong that might require medical intervention.

Many people don’t realize that sitting at a desk day in and day out can be just as harmful as a traumatic injury. Your back is one of your most important physical assets, but it’s also one of your most vulnerable. Make a conscious effort to protect it, even if you work at home.

Contributors:

Dana Brown has 15 years of caregiving experience, and after seeing some patterns of poor health she became determined to help inform people about healthy living She created HealthConditions.info, to provide Internet users with helpful content and resources that will lead them to making healthier decisions.

Frank Ring & Walking for Health and Fitness is the blog for you if you want to learn how to utilize this low-impact exercise to improve your quality of life and overall wellness. Visit the blog today and download one of the many free or paid resources available to readers.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska at Kaboom Pics