It’s no secret that many people spend most of their days sitting. While most people know that living a sedentary life is not great for their health, many find it almost impossible to avoid because their job requires sitting down for long periods of time. Not only is their health affected, sitting down for long periods of time can cause neck pain and low back pain, which in turn can progress to numbness and tingling of the extremities.
Luckily, there’s a lot that you can do to prevent and manage these issues. If you’re a full-time student or if you work a desk job, read on to find out how to take control of your pain and lead a healthier life!
Get an ergonomic chair
What makes a chair ergonomic? Any chair that provides different ways of supporting your body and is customizable to your size and shape. You should consider adding a new chair to your to-do list if your present seat has any of the following:
- No backrest
- Fixed height
- Fixed armrests
- Fixed inclination
- No swivel
What do all these things have in common? They’re rigid and cannot adapt to your specific body proportions. Instead, prioritize a chair that works for you! If needed, consider getting a doctor’s note to justify acquiring a new chair.
Consider a stand-up desk
When you’re sitting down you add a lot of pressure to your low back. There’s less pressure on your low back when you’re standing and even less when you’re laying down. Because of this, many have opted for getting a stand-up desk for work.
These are some of the benefits of a stand-up desk:
- Less pressure on the low back
- Ability to switch positions and stances during the day
- Improved circulation
An important thing to keep in mind is that even though standing puts less pressure on your low back compared to sitting, standing still all day can still cause back pain, neck pain and stiffness. An important factor to consider is switching positions between sitting and standing so that you keep your body moving. We’ll discuss why this is important next…
Counteract the negative effects outside of work hours
Sitting for long periods of time can cause pain and stiffness because joints are not being mobilized and inflammation sets in. Think about it like this: motion is lotion. Similar to cement which hardens unless it keeps spinning in a drum, your joints need constant movement in order for its viscous fluid to remain smooth. The reason why you can wake up with stiffness in the morning is because your joints have barely moved in hours!
Why is this important? If your work absolutely does not permit you to move around for long hours, you’re going to have to face an important reality: you need to counteract this lack of movement while you’re outside of work. Everyone’s interests and motivators are different, so here are different ways you can accomplish this:
- Walks
- Stretching
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Sports
- Therapies (chiropractic, massage, acupuncture…etc.)
Keep in mind that while you don’t have to do all of the things mentioned below, the more and the longer you do these things, the better you’ll feel!
Get Chiropractic Care
Often people will complain that they have invested in the best mattresses, pillows, chairs, and desks with little to no relief. They are left wondering how it’s possible and whether they’ve been cheated. Here’s the truth: if your body is out of alignment, no amount of quality products will get rid of your pain.
Through consistent chiropractic care you can restore your spine’s alignment. This means you can reduce the pressure on your nerves, the inflammation in your joints, and work for longer without being in constant pain! This is also why some company’s hire chiropractors to adjust its employees every week.
And it’s not all about pain and stiffness, by releasing pressure off your nerves, the organs and systems in your body can function better and improve your health. Chiropractic has been associated with decreased stress and better concentration too, which means you can be more productive in your workdays!
The Takeaway
There’s a lot you can do to manage pain in the workplace, even if you’re stuck to a desk all day. The best way to do so is to find ways to take pressure off your low back, to keep your joints fluid, and to get your structure aligned!
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