The Secret To Preventing Back Pain
If you work at a desk all day, there’s a decent chance you experience some neck or lower back pain. In fact, if you don’t deal with pain from a sedentary job, you’re part of a very fortunate minority.
For everyone else, there are a lot of popular “life hacks” and “innovative new products” that are meant to save your back and improve your productivity. While I wholeheartedly support many of these products, none will ever surpass the one real secret to preventing back pain: consistent movement.
I know what you’re thinking: How am I supposed to move consistently if I sit at a desk all day? To that, all I can say is get up! Bluetooth technology, standing desks, and short attention spans have provided us with no shortage of reasons to spend 5 to 10 minutes every hour moving around.
HERE ARE SOME EASY JUSTIFICATIONS FOR MOVING AT WORK:
Get water or coffee
Go to and from the bathroom, taking the roundabout way
Talk to a coworker
Walk while making phone calls
Pretend to do something important
Get a snack
Get some fresh air
Take the stairs
You left something in your car
No excuse; you are walking around to prevent back pain!
Walking is the most natural thing you can do, and the most justifiable in the workplace. However, other activities can help improve your mobility and prevent injury, and there’s no reason not to do them.
If I had to pick only two movements to accompany walking, they would be squats and the hinge stretch. Try this easy pain prevention protocol.
FOR EVERY HOUR OF SEATED WORK, DO THESE THREE THINGS:
1. Five minutes of walking
2. Ten Squats
3. Ten Hinges
Disclaimer: this is not a cure for chronic back pain, just a way to decrease the likelihood of suffering from it in the future.
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