Office Workers Suffer from Back Pain: Let’s Change That!

The human body wasn’t made to sit for long periods of time.  Our upright posture means that we’re supposed to be moving!

Modern day work has changed that for a lot of people.  We sit at desks, in front of computers, or at conference tables a large portion of our day.  This sitting results in back pain for a lot of people.  Back pain that’s not only preventable, but can be corrected as well.

Your Chiropractor in Billings lays out a handful of ways you can reduce that pain, so you can enjoy life just a little bit more.

7 Ways to Minimize Back Pain

We’re going to start with the obvious here, and work our way to something a little more profound.

Come to the Chiropractor for a Tune Up – You guessed it, we’re going to start with an adjustment.  If you have worked in an office setting for years, your body has “gotten used to” misaligned joints.  We have to put everything back in place, and then maintain things so they stay in place.

Check Your Posture Regularly – I bet you slouch.  Maybe slump.  Perhaps a little leaning goes on.  We all do it because it often feels better (at least temporarily).  You can start with a small alarm on your phone that reminds you to check your posture every 30 minutes to an hour.  When you start checking and you’re already maintaining good posture, give yourself a pat on the back, a high five, or just a fist pump and say “YES!”  This helps your brain know it’s the right thing to do.

Re-Arrange Your Workspace – One of the biggest reasons that we don’t sit up straight, is because our workspace doesn’t let us sit up straight.  Make sure your computer monitor is at eye level (no laptops on the lap!), make sure things are within an arm’s reach, and make sure when you’re typing your elbows are at a 90 degree bend.

Get a Better Chair – Good chairs are often expensive.  But they’re great if you struggle from back pain.  Finding one that provides enough padding for your tush, and is adjustable so you can get just the right height, might take a little looking.  Fortunately, modern chair technology has come a long way.

Make Use of Phone Technology – Wait, how does talking on the phone affect your back?  Good question, I’m glad you asked.  When people talk on the phone, they usually hold the phone to their ear.  Then they lean in one direction or another.  Really, your posture is almost always rubbish when on the phone.  Using a headset, or putting it on speaker phone helps dramatically.

Move More – That timer that reminds you to adjust your posture can remind you to get up and move around a bit.  You don’t need to go for a 10 mile jog at lunch time, but 5 minutes down the hall and back a couple of times is going to make you healthier.

Manage Your Diet – Your diet is an important part of keeping you healthy.  There are some foods, like fried foods, sugar, and processed stuff, which cause inflammation.  Inflamed joints are painful joints.  Check out our post about eating healthy to reduce inflammation for some tips.

Make an Appointment with a Local Chiropractor

To get things started, we need to see you in the office!

It’s pretty easy.  We have an appointment scheduler, where you can request a specific time.  Or simply give us a call at 406-545-2128 and let’s get you booked to a life of less pain.