Who does not know it? Because of the stress of everyday office life, correct posture at the workplace is neglected, and back pain is the result. Even active relaxation breaks often fall by the wayside. This no longer has to be the case. This text gives helpful advice on how the annoying back pain can already disappear by integrating small habits and how a more active lifestyle can be successfully integrated into everyday working life.
The cause of back pain
Humans in their original form are designed to be active in the fresh air. If we look at our ancestors, they were much more likely to be in active, physically demanding occupations than we are today. Most occupations today are sedentary, and even the “after-work” exercise program is often quite sparse. Not infrequently, physical pain, such as in the back, or even psychological problems are the result. This does not have to be the case. Smaller exercises, an upright posture, and more movement can help. The following tips show how really everyone can do something for their health.
Integration of relaxation exercises
As already mentioned, posture is the main area that suffers from persistent stress on the job.
The shoulders are tense and contract, the muscles cramp, the neck begins to ache, and soon the whole back hurts. If you don’t want to walk around the office bent over in pain like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, you should take some time out. Breathing or other relaxation exercises often help to shake off the stress that has arisen.
Exercises at the workplace
Just because it’s an office job doesn’t mean you can’t leave your office chair for eight hours. Modern workplaces, in particular, often offer an ergonomic workstation with a height-adjustable standing desk. These offer excellent opportunities to switch blithely between sitting and standing activities. Even if there is no standing desk, a certain variability can be integrated into the daily routine by changing sitting positions.
In addition, the electrical devices used, such as the printer, telephone, or coffee machine, should be placed in such a way that they cannot necessarily be operated from the seat. It may sound banal, but short distances also ensure more movement and, thus, a more active everyday life.
Being active at work and beyond
Movement is important, and not just in the private sphere. The human body depends on being active every now and then. This not only protects against back pain but also strengthens the cardiovascular system, the immune system, and the metabolism. Of course, physical fitness also benefits from regular exercise. Of course, this can also be achieved by working out in the gym, but the job, in particular, offers a wide range of supportive exercise options. It starts before you even get to work. Why drive five kilometers to the workplace or the train station when you can do it by bike or even on foot? Why take the elevator when there are stairs to the third floor? The commute to work, in particular, offers excellent opportunities to integrate additional activity into everyday life. Another is the lunch break. Instead of staring at your cell phone and surfing the Internet at work, it’s much nicer to take a long walk through the park with nice colleagues. Besides, the body is also happy about fresh air, of course.
Correct lifting and carrying
In most office jobs, physical work plays a subordinate role. Nevertheless, back-friendly measures should be taken into account. If heavy loads have to be carried from A to B, it can be helpful to divide them into several loads that are easier to carry in order to protect the back. If possible, heavy loads should not be lifted from the floor but from a height of 70 to 100 cm. It is also advisable to bend at the knees when lifting smaller weights in order to protect the intervertebral discs. The load should be carried evenly and centrally, and uncontrolled twisting should generally be avoided.
Being active at work and beyond
Movement is important, and not just in the private sphere. The human body depends on being active every now and then. This not only protects against back pain but also strengthens the cardiovascular system, the immune system, and the metabolism. Of course, physical fitness also benefits from regular exercise. Of course, this can also be achieved by working out in the gym, but the job, in particular, offers a wide range of opportunities for exercise. It starts before you even get to work. Why drive five kilometers to the workplace or train station when you can do it by bike or even on foot? Why take the elevator when there are stairs to the third floor? The commute to work, in particular, offers an excellent opportunity to integrate additional activity into everyday life. Another is the lunch break. Instead of surfing the Internet at work, it’s much nicer to take a long walk through the park with nice colleagues.
Proper lifting and carrying
In most office jobs, physical labor plays a rather subordinate role. Nevertheless, back-friendly measures should be taken into account. If heavy loads have to be carried from A to B, it can be helpful to divide them into several loads that are easier to carry in order to protect the back. If possible, heavy loads should not be lifted from the floor but from a height of 70 to 100 cm. It is also advisable to bend at the knees when lifting smaller weights in order to protect the intervertebral discs. The load should be carried evenly and centrally, and uncontrolled twisting should generally be avoided.
Back-friendly sports and muscle building
Protecting the back with a healthy posture at work is one thing, but strengthening it is quite another. To prevent pain, targeted strengthening of the trunk muscles is required. Training with weights or one’s own body can help stabilize the core and especially the trunk muscles.
Many employers already offer participation in a back school or subsidize participation by their employees. It is important with any type of exercise that the body is not overloaded. It helps to approach the exercises slowly and gradually increase the load. If in doubt, family doctors or the company physician can provide advice.
With a little creativity in practicing back-friendly sports, there’s almost nothing standing in the way of long-term health. What is also needed is the necessary motivation, training goals, a reliable training partner – perhaps even a colleague from the office – and above all, a lot of fun with regular exercise.
This article has described many valuable tips to combat back pain in the office.
Whether with calming relaxation techniques, office gymnastics, muscle building, and stabilization training, or alternating between sitting and standing at a standing desk, the important thing is that a certain amount of physical activity takes place and is integrated into everyday working life. Only those who move regularly and take care of their bodies will be able to perform their office activities in the long term and, above all, without pain.
