Did you know that a large proportion of the population is affected by back pain? It’s important to pay attention, because back pain can lead to depression and absenteeism.
In fact, these sometimes constant pains prevent the mind from concentrating 100% or prevent movement as desired, leading to the cessation of certain activities.
Back pain can be muscular, postural, osteoarticular, scoliosis-related or linked to illness, stress, smoking, excess weight, etc.
Don’t worry, we’re going to give you some advice on how to avoid postural and muscular back pain.
Choose an ergonomic office chair and dare to move around
Do you spend all day at work, sitting behind a desk? It’s essential to get movingDo you spend all day at work, sitting behind a desk? It’s essential to get moving . Stop being sedentarythe enemy of your back and your muscles.
When you sit in your chair, you need to be in the best position for your body. Here are our tips for sitting correctly at the office.
Choose an ergonomic office chair with a range of adjustment options.
However, you absolutely must let your body move, relax it, but also keep it upright and avoid stooping. Think about your neck, stretch it, turn your head, shrug and rotate your shoulders to relieve the strain. Position your screen at eye level too, so as not to lower your head. The more your head is tilted, the more it weighs on your neck.
You can vary your position, if your office allows it, by alternating between sitting and standing.
If you have a fixed desk, you can sit on a ball, allowing mobility of the pelvis and back, and engaging all your muscles thanks to its instability. The most important thing is that your seat height and desk height are adjusted to avoid lowering or raising your head.
After work, a bit of sport!
To prevent back pain, you need to exercise regularly and avoid a sedentary lifestyle as much as possible.
This allows you to move around, but also to build muscle, clear your mind and get some exercise.
If you already suffer from back pain, opt for gentle physical activities such as swimming, walking, cycling or yoga. In all cases, you should work your abdominal muscles as much as possible so that they can compensate for the strain on your back.
A phone app can also help you to set yourself a target number of steps or distance to cover per day, so you can monitor whether or not you’ve reached your target, in which case you’ll be reminded that you still need to get moving.
Do not forget to drink plenty of water, as this helps, among other things, the spinal discs, which are composed of 80% water.
How can I take care of my back at work?
When sitting: ensure that your back remains straight at all times, avoid slouching or bending your neck, which can cause tension in your back. To do this, your screen should be level with your eyes and not too low or too high. Your feet should remain flat on the floor as much as possible so that your legs form a 90° angle to avoid tension.
Your elbows should also be supported to prevent your shoulders from working and causing tension in your neck or back.
Stretching: do not hesitate to stretch throughout the day to relax your back muscles, which can become tense, sometimes without you even realising it.
When you have to bend over: avoid leaning forward and straining your back in a way that is not optimal. If you’re bending over your colleague’s desk, don’t hesitate to use an alternative, flexible seat so that you’re at the same height as your colleague.
To lift a load: if you need to lift a load from the floor, always remember to use your knees, bending them to adopt a squatting position that will engage your leg muscles rather than your back muscles. You can also put one knee on the ground or swing forward on one leg while keeping your back straight.
Standing: make sure you always remain upright, with your spine in line with your head and pelvis.
Wooh offers a wide range of ergonomic office furniture. Chairs, armchairs, electric desks, balls, stools. Contact us for more information or visit our showroom in Nivelles, between Brussels and Charleroi.