The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that 80 percent of the population will have lower back pain at some point in their lives. If you're part of this group, and your pain tends to flare up at work, you can take proactive steps to keep it from happening. A few exercises at your desk will stretch your lower back muscles and remove the tension that causes pain. Here are some moves you can do during your next break at your desk to keep that back pain under control.
Create Your Own Desk Exercise Routine
These exercises slowly stretch out muscles that have been in one position for some time, which is one cause of your pain. Other moves are to get your spine back into a natural position after long periods of misalignment. Office spaces and chairs are not necessarily the most ergonomic, so the position in which you work may not be natural for your body. Select a few of these exercises to do during your work breaks to give your muscles and spine a rest.
Note that all of these exercises are done while sitting in your desk chair. Do each exercise slowly with no sudden movements. Do several repetitions but stop if you feel any pain. The goal is to coax your back muscles to relax on their own.
Arm Reach - Stretch your legs straight out, heels touching the floor. Put your arms straight out in front of you. Slowing lean forward and try to touch your toes. This stretches out the muscles at the back of your spine in your lower back.
Knee Hug - Sit with your feet flat on the floor. Clasp your hands around one knee and lift up, as if hugging your knee. Lift until your feel a little pull in your back. Repeat with the other knee. This stretches hip muscles which pull on the muscles on the side of your spine.
Side Reach - Sit upright in your chair and raise one arm over your head. Place the other hand in your lap. Bend your body sideways toward the side opposite your raised arm. Repeat with the other side. Don't twist your body while turning so as not to put too much stress on the muscles. This stretches the muscles along the sides of your spine.
Back Arch - Move forward in your chair a few inches and clasp your hands behind your back. Raise your chin and push out your chest. Bring your chin down and bend forward. This stretches muscles above your lower back. It also relaxes upper back muscles to prevent neck pain.
Back Twist - Cross one leg over the other. Twist your body slowly at the waist toward the side with the raised leg. Relax, then cross the other leg and twist toward that side. This stretches several muscles in your hip, pelvis and lower back. Do this one slowly and don't twist so much that it's painful. Stay sitting straight while doing this - don't lean your body. That puts too much tension on your back muscles.
Stretch Up - Raise both arms over your head and grasp your hands together. Push your hands up slowly while rolling your hips forward. This stretches out lower back muscles and straightens the lower spine.
These exercises are easy to do at your desk in just a few minutes during a break. Each one stretches out tense muscle groups to relieve your lower back pain. Make it a regular habit to do these throughout your day and you'll prevent those nagging back pains from affecting your work. For more help, check out a clinic like Valley Chiropractic.
Share19 March 2015
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
