Prevent Low Back Pain: If You’re Sitting All Day, These 3 Tips May Help

iStock_000015889139SmallIt’s easy to understand how back pain can result from a workplace injury or from repetitive stress. But from sitting?

Yes. The problem often lies in the muscle group that connects the lower back to the legs. It’s called the iliopsoas or inner hip muscles. These muscles get tight when you sit all day. This tightening causes the abdomen to be pulled forward and downward, causing pressure on the lower back. Unnatural pressure on the lower back can certainly lead to pain. Prolonged sitting can also compress spinal structures like the discs and lead to their deterioration, and may also aggravate sciatica, which is pain, numbness, burning or tingling down the leg due to irritation of the sciatic nerve.

If you have a job, or lifestyle, that necessitates extended periods of sitting, take note of these 3 simple tips for keeping your low back pain-free.

  1. Stand up, stretch backwards for a moment and walk a bit every 20 minutes.
  2. While seated, keep one knee lower than the other (which requires you to sit near the front edge of your seat). Alternate knees frequently.
  3. Regularly perform hip flexor stretches, to keep the muscles from tightening up.

If you are suffering with low back pain, schedule an appointment at Back Clinics of Canada. Only Back Clinics of Canada offers the High Performance Healing SystemTM — an integrated approach to healing damaged/injured spinal discs. Our care is non-invasive, non-surgical and drug-free.

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