Sitting is an unavoidable part of modern life for most people. And if your back hurts from sitting all day, you might believe when people say sitting is bad for your back. But sitting actually isn’t as bad as you probably think. In fact, it isn’t inherently bad at all. When you are tired after a long walk, or when you are about to have a nice dinner with your family, sitting is perfect.
The thing that makes sitting so problematic, is the same thing that makes anything problematic – the dose. The truth is most people are just sitting too much, and too much of anything is bad. If your lower back hurts from sitting – keep reading to get management tips and posture suggestions.
Contents
- Why sitting locks you up
- Micro-break tricks
- Ergonomic tips
- Daily movement plan
Disclaimer:
You should consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new physical activity. This article is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace an assessment, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified professional. Note; no doctor patient relationship has been formed.
Why Sitting Locks You Up
Have you ever felt stiff first thing in the morning? Of course you have, it is perfectly normal to feel stiff after basically not moving at all for 6-8 hours. So it would be very unusual, it would basically defy the laws of nature if you were not stiff after sitting for 8 hours at your desk.
Unlike sleeping though, where you are in fairly neutral joint positions (not near any end ranges of motion), when you are sitting, you are very likely at nearly end range lumbar flexion. Flexion is the movement or position of the back when bending forward. So sitting for many hours without breaks is likely holding muscles, and perhaps more importantly, ligaments on stretch for a long time.
Here is very simple demonstration to make it obvious:
Hold one hand in front of you, and with your other hand bend your index finger back as far as it goes. Uncomfortable isn’t it? Now imagine doing that for 8 hours. That would probably be on a par with torture. That is more or less what is happening in your lower back when you sit, it is just much less sensitive than your hand, so you don’t feel it as quickly.
Your body will adapt to a certain extent though, so you will get used to sitting after a while. Then when you stand up it will feel stiff because you have gotten used to the joint positions and muscle lengths of the seated position. So the key, if it isn’t obvious, is to not get stuck in any one position for too long. And aside from that, spending less time in less extreme positions compared to more ‘neutral’ ones may help.
Micro-break Tips
The boss needs you to get your work done ASAP, we get it. You can’t just be taking breaks whenever you want to go for a walk. If you have a sit-stand desk and can stand up for part of the day that would be best. Stand until you get a little fatigued (or just before if you know your tolerance), then sit for a while. If that is not an option, there are ways to give your body ‘micro breaks’, without going anywhere, or even standing up.
One option is to just adjust your seat. If you lower your seat, it may force to sit more upright to stay in a good position to see your monitor or use your mouse and keyboard. Another option is just to shift your position on your seat. If you shift forward on your seat, and tuck your feet underneath you this will put you in a more arched position of your lower back, probably more similar to how it would be standing up.
You can alternate these different positions with just standard sitting positioning, or even more relaxed slouching posture. Remember, it’s not necessarily the position at fault, it’s the time without moving.
Ergonomic Tips
If there is one position that is likely to be most comfortable it is probably lying flat on your back (on a comfortable surface). Again, this is because nothing is really being stretched or compressed. There is definitely lots of room for individual variation, especially if lower back pain is already present. But we can use that logic to aim for a theoretical posture to aim for, then deviate from that as needed to take into account individual preferences.
So what is the ‘perfect’ posture? With all of the caveats above let’s aim for this:
Sitting upright or slightly reclined, with lower back supported in a slightly arched position and head supported in a slightly flexed position. Arms resting on arm rests, and support underneath your wrists if you are using a keyboard. Then when you get tired of this position, switch to any other for a while, and continue rotating.
The LBPfix program has tips for dealing with many different painful postures and movements, not just sitting. Click here to learn more about the program.
Daily Movement Plan
The government guidelines in The USA and Canada recommend a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise and twice weekly, full body resistance training. If you are not meeting those guidelines, that is probably the best place to start.
Gradually increase your exercise week to week, not all of a sudden jumping to those numbers. More exercise than that is beneficial, given that you are recovering and not exacerbating injuries etc, but try to work towards at least meeting those recommendations.
Other than regular exercise you can definitely incorporate some other movement to combat the stress of sitting all day. Increasing your step count with more frequent and/or longer walks is another great idea for not only back pain but your health in general. Click here to read our article about walking for lower back pain. Again, try increasing your step count gradually aiming for about 10000 steps per day.
A stretch that many people find very helpful is repeated back extensions. They can be done quickly no matter where you are. See the video below for a demonstration.
Our Framework: How LBPfix Can Help
1. Identify Your Pain Driver: We classify your pain into one of four movement intolerance types
2. Prescribe the Right Movement Strategy: Once we know your pain type, we match it with corrective movements
3. Build Long-Term Resilience: As pain settles, we help you:
Move confidently without flaring up
Rebuild core control and lifting mechanics
Return to work, sport, or life without setbacks
Ready to Fix Your Low Back Pain?
Take our 2-minute quiz to find out if you’re a good candidate to our program – no strings attached!
