How often do you use a seat in everyday life? Almost in every situation. However, there is hardly anything worse than sitting often. It starts at the breakfast table and continues until you get in the car to go to work. Then it continues in the office – sometimes the eight to ten hours of work are spent just sitting. In a study from 2012, the question was asked, how much do we really sit? Is there really a lack of movement? The result was that the average office worker sits for around six to ten hours a day. Sitting is by no means good for us. This can even develop into permanent postural damage.
Sitting is strenuous for the back
Back pain can be divided into radicular and pseudoradicular pain. In radicular back pain, a nerve is mostly irritated. A study by the Chemnitz University of Technology looked at the effects of sitting for hours on end. The results from the study were published in the journal “Applied Ergonomics”. Sitting can cause tension to build up in the muscles and lead to an overloaded intervertebral disc. Exercise scientists are therefore not surprised that back problems are becoming more common. However, doctors and scientists alike are surprised that hardly anyone knows that sitting is so damaging and how these problems can be remedied.
The right mattress
With the right mattress against back pain? There are quite good mattresses that are less stressful on the back. A good mattress has both the right degree of hardness, as well as integrated lying zones and a high point elasticity. Thus, the spine is significantly relieved during sleep time. If you do not want to buy a new mattress, you can also upgrade the old one with a topper, as this can also increase the sleeping comfort once again. In addition, toppers also serve as protection against dust mites, which can release allergens through mite excrement. Especially for allergy sufferers, a topper is a means of increasing the quality of life. Allergic reactions can thus be greatly reduced.
Standing desk
Whether in the home office or in the actual office: a standing desk can ensure that all these back problems do not arise in the first place. However, a standing desk should be able to be adjusted to the body size, because this is the only way to achieve an ergonomic posture. However, in order to adopt an ergonomically correct posture at the workplace, other points such as the correct eye distance to the monitor and a suitable mouse must be taken into account.
Self-massage
Self-massage can loosen back muscles that have become stiff, according to the latest research. In the study, one group used self-massage for eight minutes every four and a half hours. That would be once during the lunch break and once after work. Researchers also see a lot of potential in this, because self-massage is done relatively quickly and because an effect begins with immediate effect. To increase the effect and additionally to fight against the tensions, poppy blossom oil can also be used for self-massage. By all means there are other therapeutic measures, but its effect usually sets in much later.
Avoid sitting for a long time directly
So that back pain in the office does not arise in the first place, can as a preventive measure, also every 30 to 60 minutes briefly stand up. A short walk is even better in the process, however. However, time can quickly be lost from sight. Nowadays, there are already smartwatches that remind the user to get up for a minute.
Health effects of inactivity
Often, women’s back pain is misinterpreted and attributed to the abdominal organs. It can be extraordinarily difficult for physicians to determine the cause. However, prolonged sitting and lack of exercise are the most common causes. Humans are designed to move a lot and enough. If inactivity occurs, as it does when sitting, then this also has health effects on the entire body. The body becomes weaker and weaker, because the muscles also break down – this causes further strain on the spine. Now the cardiovascular system is also reduced, so the organs only perform a minimum of what would actually be possible. The longer this condition lasts, the more sluggish the body becomes.This also reduces productivity. It has also long been clear that a lack of exercise can also be responsible for bad moods and even depression. If you don’t get active despite back pain, you could end up in a negative spiral, which could also lead to the development of chronic complaints. However, the latest studies clearly show that back complaints are by no means to be taken lightly. If the complaints are still in the early stages, exercise can help immediately. However, a doctor should always be consulted for advice. Physiotherapy is definitely worthwhile.
What other risk factors are there?
Aside from long-term sitting and lack of exercise, there are still a variety of risk factors. In addition, there is also a risk age group in the range of 35 to 50 years. Those who eat poorly, smoke, struggle with mental stress, and are involved in heavy physical labor on a daily basis could be very likely to develop back problems.
Conclusion
Back problems have long become the norm in society. Thereby, there are simple factors to prevent this. With self-massage already succeeds in loosening the back muscles. By means of preventive measures, such as the standing desk or the right mattress, further risk factors can be reduced.
