5 Ways To Prevent Work Related Back Pain

“Sitting at a desk all day can have a seriously negative effect on your health. Back pain is a common problem and is only made worse when you have to continually sit at a desk all day for work. One of the main reasons for this pain is because sitting in an office chair puts a large amount of pressure on both the muscles in your back and on your spinal discs.
While there is no immediate cure, there are a few things you can do to help ease the pain and prevent any further injury.
Get Your Posture Right
Sitting incorrectly is a common cause of lower back pain. If you are suffering from this then continually sitting the wrong way is going to put more pressure on your back and make things even worse. This is one of the most important steps to keep your back pain at bay.
The correct way to sit at a desk is:

Feet flat on the floor or on a footrest
Computer screen directly in front of you with the top of the screen at eye level
Chair adjusted to support your lower back with your knees slightly lower than your hips
Arms parallel to floor resting on armrests or your desk

Choose The Right Chair
A poor quality office chair could be the reason for your lower back pain. If you cannot properly adjust the back or height of your chair then it’s time for a change.
An ergonomic chair can help relieve the pressure on your lower back and stop any future pain. This is a chair that is specifically adjusted to suit you. You will need an adjustable back, height and arms to be able to modify it to fit your body. Finding the right chair for you could be the answer to your back problems.
Sit Closer
Having to keep reaching for items on your desk can put unnecessary stress on your back and shoulders. If you spend most of your time on the phone then try replacing it with a headset to stop any stretching and cradling. Position your mouse as close to you as possible while still remaining comfortable and have your keyboard at around four to six inches away, keeping your wrists straight whilst typing. These are the first steps towards ensuring that your office is set up ergonomically to help keep you healthy.
Take Regular Breaks
It is important to stand up at least once an hour, even if it just to quickly grab a drink or get something from the printer, it all helps. Frequent short breaks are better for your health and back than fewer longer ones.
Sitting for a long period without standing at all will more than likely cause you to continually suffer with back pain and will also put you at a much higher risk of both diabetes and cardiovascular issues.
Get A Sit-Stand Desk
If the issue is sitting down for long periods then why not try switching between working sitting down and standing up. A sit stand desk will allow you to both sit at it and extend it to standing level when you need a break from sitting.
This means you can still continue to get work done at your desk without having to spend all of your day in a chair.
Sources:http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20355520,00.htmlhttp://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/sitting-and-sedentary-behaviour-are-bad-for-your-health.aspxhttp://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/workplacehealth/Pages/backpainatwork.aspx”