Whether you have a 30-second commute to your home office or work across town in an office building, you likely sit—a lot—during your workday.
By mid-afternoon, your lower back may have a few things to say about it. Maybe you get up from your desk and need a second before you can fully straighten. Or you step out of the car after a long commute and feel stiff before you’ve even made it to the front door.
Sitting doesn’t seem particularly strenuous, but doing it for hours at a time can leave your lower back feeling achy, tight, and less than thrilled when it’s finally time to move.
Your Back Likes a Little Variety
Sitting itself isn’t necessarily the problem. It’s staying in essentially the same position for most of the day.
Your hips remain bent, certain muscles aren’t doing much work, and the lower back spends a long time under sustained pressure. Eventually, that can translate into the familiar stiffness and achiness that make standing up feel like an event.
You Don’t Need Perfect Posture
Good desk ergonomics can help, but you don’t have to spend eight hours sitting ramrod straight. Your next position may be more important than finding one “perfect” position and staying there.
A few things to try:
- Get up for a minute or two every 30 to 45 minutes
- Change your sitting position periodically
- Take a phone call standing or walking
- Stretch your hips and gently move your back after a desk-heavy day
Even small movement breaks can make a sitting-heavy routine less static.
When Your Back Keeps Complaining
An occasional stiff back after a long day is one thing. When low back pain keeps returning or starts interfering with the things you want to do, don’t simply write it off as part of having a desk job. Contact Fluvanna Family Chiropractic to schedule an appointment and find out what may be keeping your back unhappy.