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by Carol Pietromonaco PT. - Physical Therapy Plus

Q. My back hurts when I sit for a long time, especially when I am sitting at my computer at work. It becomes stiff and it’s difficult for me to stand up. Do you have any advice for me to minimize my back pain? 

A.  A lot of people also complain of back pain and soreness after sitting at their desks for too long. You should never sit for longer than 1 hour without moving, stretching or walking around. I always tell patients that even if they only do this for 5 minutes, they can immediately reduce the occurrence of low back pain. If you are still experiencing soreness or stiffness try the following: 

Exercises:
Sit on the edge of your chair or bench (one that will not slip backwards or tip). Spread your legs apart, fold your arms over your chest, and tuck your chin to your chest. Now slowly curl your trunk downward towards the floor. When you are fully flexed, you should relax for a few seconds. Then uncurl slowly into the upright position, raising your head last. Do this 3-5 times. If this exercise is painful to perform you should call your doctor for an appointment.

Other helpful hints:
• Sit in chairs low enough to place both feet flat on the floor, with your knees and hips bent to 90-degree angles.
• Sit firmly against the back of the chair. 
• Place a small pillow behind the lower part of your back for extra support.
• Never use a corset without your doctor's advice. Restrictive corsets can actually weaken your back, since muscles atrophy when they are restrained and are not allowed to do their job. 
• Watch your weight, avoid any kind of tobacco, stay physically active outside work, and keep doing your back exercises.

GUIDELINES FOR OFFICE CHAIRS AND WORK STATIONS
1. Elbow measure - Begin by aligning your upper arms so that they are parallel to your spine. Rest your hands on your work surface, making the angle at your elbows 90 degrees. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor. If your elbows are not at a 90-degree angle, you will have to adjust the height of your chair.
2. Thigh measure - You should easily be able to slide your fingers under your thigh at the leading edge of the chair. If it is too tight, prop your feet up with a footrest. If there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the chair, you need to raise your chair. (If necessary, you might need to raise your entire workstation to accommodate.
3. Calf measure - With your buttocks up against the chair back, try to pass your clenched fist between the back of your calf and the front of your chair. If you can’t do that easily, the chair is too deep. You will need to adjust the backrest forward, insert a lumbar support, or get a new office chair.
4. Lower-back support - Your buttocks and low back should be pressed against the back of your chair. Any good office chair will provide lumbar support, which is essential to minimize the strain on your back. If your chair lacks built-in support, insert your own. Never slump or slouch in your chair, as that places extra stress on your spine and lumbar discs.
5. Eye level - Close your eyes while sitting comfortably with your head facing forward. Slowly open your eyes. Your gaze should be aimed at the center of your computer screen. If your computer screen is higher or lower than your gaze, you need to change its height. 
6. Armrest - Adjust the armrest of your chair so that it just slightly lifts your arms at the shoulders. Use of an armrest on your office chair allows you to take some of the strain off your neck and shoulders, and it should make you less likely to slouch forward in your chair.

Final note:
It is nearly impossible to create and maintain a perfect workstation. Given these six variables alone, it is difficult to coordinate each of these components to have ideal posture. Combine that with standard office furniture, limited office space, and hardly any free time, and you’ve clearly got a difficult task. These tips are just basic guidelines that you should use to create your own pain-free workspace. You may need to sacrifice at one place to accommodate another. Just remember to stretch as needed at least five minutes every hour. If you follow these steps and your problems persist, consult your doctor for a PT referral. Good Luck!

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