Have you ever wondered why your neck and back feel stiff after a long day’s work when all you’ve been doing is sitting at your computer?
The human body is designed for movement.
Holding one position for a prolonged period of time can increase stiffness and pressure on your spine, but if you can incorporate a few back pain exercises into your daily routine, you can actually prevent back pain!
We like to call these back pain exercises, micro-breaks. They don’t take long, but if you can do them consistently, they can make a huge difference.
It’s best to avoid sitting for longer than 20 minutes without getting up to move around.
Micro-breaks can restore motion to your muscles and tissues and potentially help you avoid the need for future back pain treatment.
Back Pain Exercises
Follow these steps to “reset” your spine every 30 minutes or so when you you find yourself sitting for long periods of time:
- Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Raise your arms over your head, gently.
- Breath in, deeply, through your nose with your abdomen. Don’t let your shoulders go up. Instead, feel your stomach go out. Then, hold that breath.
- Reach your arms up over your head to the ceiling as high as possible without letting your breath go.
- Then, slowly blow out while you lower your arms.
Tips to Develop This Good Habit
- Don’t think you can remember? Set a reminder on your phone or calendar on your computer and pop up for a quick stretch whenever it goes off.
- Drink plenty of water throughout your work day. It’s not only great for your digestive system, but it will get you up and moving more often, too.
- Go somewhere for lunch. It’s a great idea to save money by packing your lunch each day, but just because you’ve got your lunch with you, it doesn’t mean you have to eat it at your desk. Hop in the car and have your lunch at a park or go for a walk over your break. They call it lunch break for a reason. (You’ll probably come back with a fresh, more creative perspective, too!)
Fulk Chiropractic in Olathe, KS offers chiropractic treatment to greater Kansas City area residents. Our team of experts often speak on topics such as, “Preventing Injuries on the Job” and “Health from Within.”
We specialize in back pain treatment as well as neck pain treatment through chiropractic. Call us today at 913-764-6237 or schedule an appointment online with one of our chiropractors to see if chiropractic care might be a help to you!