Sitting all day at the office? Here are some quick and easy exercises to prevent backache.

Sitting in front of your laptop or system, straining on that screen all day long to meet your deadline. Does that sound like you? If yes, then you might be suffering from or might be prone to backache.

The current lifestyle has reduced our movements to the minimum. Adding to that is the shift in the work culture. Desk jobs have taken over the world. People are working on a system with a bare minimum or no movements at all. All this leads to severe backaches or lifelong back problems. The pain in the lower back (lumbar area) is called Lumbago. This can affect men and women. The pain can be acute (sudden and severe) or chronic (long-lasting if not attended on time).

 

Common causes of back pain at work

A number of factors can contribute to back pain at work like:

1. Inactivity: Sitting in one position with zero movements is the number one reason for the backaches.
2. Poor Posture: Sitting in an improper posture or without any back support stresses the spinal cord and severely affects your back.
3. Force: Putting too much pressure on your back or lifting heavy objects or frequently/suddenly twisting your spine can cause injury.

 

So what’s the Solution?

The solution is simple. Keep moving.

Being mindful of moving throughout the day will help in keeping the health of your back. You can also do some really simple exercises at your desk to prevent such aches. Here are 4 exercises that are easy for anybody to incorporate into a busy day.

1. Lower Spine Stretch
   Step 1: Sit straight on your chair. Keep your feet flat on the ground and your hands rested on the armrest.
   Step 2: Raise your right hand straight up on the air and bend your spine towards your left slightly.
   Step 3: Hold that position for around 30 seconds. Take deep breaths while performing this activity.
   Step 4: Bring your right hand down to the rest position and repeat the procedure for the left hand.
   Repeat this thrice for each side.
   
   Benefits:
   This exercise will stretch the muscles along the length of your spine in a sideways direction.
   
    
2. Torso Stretch
   Step 1: Sit straight on your chair. Keep your feet flat on the ground.
   Step 2: Take both the hands behind your back and interlock the palms to make a clasp.
   Step 3: Stretch your torso by pushing your chest outside and chin upwards.
   Step 4: Hold this position for 10-30 seconds
   
   Benefits:
   This exercise will give a stretch to your lower back, shoulder, neck and release all the built-up muscular tension.
   
    
3. Hamstring Stretch
   Step 1: Sit straight on the edge of the chair.
   Step 2: Slide your right leg out with heel on the ground.
   Step 3: Start gliding forward to touch your toes. Keep your back straight.
   Step 4: Hold this position for 30 seconds.
   Step 5: Repeat this for the left leg.
   
   Benefit:
   Stretching the hamstring can loosen the lower back muscles and relieve the pain.
   
    
4. Deep Hip Muscle Stretch
   Step 1: Sit straight on the edge of the chair with feet flat on the ground.
   Step 2: Lift your right leg up and put it above the knee of your left leg.
   Step 3: Keeping your spine straight, bend forward slowly.
   Step 4: Hold this position for 30 seconds.
   Step 5: Repeat the process for the left leg.

As important it is to complete your work in time, it is equally important to keep your body fit to do the job. These simple exercises can help you alleviate the back pain. Back pain accounts for more than 264 million lost workdays in one year in US. Just 5 minutes of the day can save two workdays for every full-time worker in the country. But in case of severe back pain, do consult a doctor.