An article to read when you think, 'My back hurts again.' I'll teach you all the back pain exercises you can do while sitting.
Self-care habits for busy office workers that you can do in 5 minutes
Sitting in front of a computer all day, and before you know it, your back is throbbing... Have you ever experienced that? It is said that about 80% of modern office workers have experienced back pain. In this article, we will introduce back pain exercises that you can continue even if you are busy, as well as preventive habits to ensure back pain doesn't happen in the first place.
First, I want to tell you something important. Back pain exercises are not something that will make you feel dramatically better on the day you do them. The important thing is to continue them steadily. By building up a little bit every day, you will notice after 3 to 4 weeks, 'Maybe my back feels better lately'—that is the essence of back pain exercises.
Why are office workers prone to back pain?
The human body is originally designed on the premise of 'moving.' However, in modern desk work, it has become common to spend hours in the same posture.
It is said that long-term sitting posture puts about 1.4 times the body weight on the lumbar spine (lower back bones). Furthermore, in a forward-leaning posture—that posture of peering into a smartphone or PC—that burden increases even more.
It is often thought that 'back pain is something for when you get older,' but in reality, it is widely seen in desk workers in their 20s and 30s. Early prevention and habit-building will protect your future self.
5 back pain exercises you can do even when busy
All of the following exercises can be done while sitting in an office chair or while standing. The guideline is 1 to 2 minutes per session. Please incorporate them during break times or in small gaps of time.
① Pelvic anterior/posterior tilt (while sitting / approx. 1 minute)
This is a basic exercise to regain pelvic movement and align the S-curve of the lumbar spine. Since this is the foundation for improving back pain, please start here. Sit shallowly on the chair and place both feet firmly on the floor. Next, slowly arch your back with the image of tilting your pelvis forward (3 seconds), and then round your back with the image of tilting your pelvis backward (3 seconds). Repeat this forward and backward movement 10 times. It is easier to do if you are conscious of 'moving the pelvis' rather than 'moving the lower back'.
② Trunk twist stretch (while sitting / 30 seconds each for left and right)
Gently loosen the muscles around the lower back (erector spinae and iliopsoas muscles). Sit deeply in the chair, straighten your back, cross your hands in front of your chest, slowly twist your upper body to the right, and hold for 30 seconds (do not hold your breath). Do the same for the left side. If you hold onto the backrest to fix your body, you can twist more deeply.
③ Hip flexion stretch / Iliopsoas (while standing / 30 seconds each for left and right)
Stretch the 'iliopsoas muscle' that becomes stiff from sitting for long periods. The stiffness of the iliopsoas muscle is particularly important as a hidden cause of back pain and is a point that is often overlooked. From a standing position, step your right foot forward significantly to take a lunge position, and drop your left knee in place. While keeping your upper body straight, slowly move your center of gravity forward and hold for 30 seconds with the feeling of stretching the front of your left hip joint. It is fine to use a chair or desk to balance.
④ Abdominal breathing / Inner muscle activation (while sitting / approx. 2 minutes)
The deep muscles (transversus abdominis) that support the lower back from the inside are trained by deep breathing. It may look plain, but this is actually the easiest exercise to continue and has high effectiveness. Slowly inhale through your nose to expand your abdomen (4 seconds), and slowly exhale through your mouth to pull in your abdomen (8 seconds). When you have exhaled completely, confirm that there is slight tension in your abdomen. Repeat this 8 to 10 times. You can do this secretly during meetings or on the train.
⑤ Cat & Cow / Spinal wave movement (while sitting / approx. 1 minute)
Perform standard yoga poses while sitting in a chair. Move the entire spine smoothly to improve stagnant blood flow. Sit shallowly on the chair, place both hands on your thighs, inhale while puffing out your chest and arching your back (Cat), and exhale while rounding your back and looking at your navel (Cow). Repeat slowly 10 times. It is effective to move with the image of 'waving' from your neck to your lower back.
The secret to continuing is not to try to 'do it perfectly every day.' First, let's start with 'just one type per day.' Even if it's 3 times a week, you can feel changes in your body by continuing for 2 weeks.
More important than exercise! Daily preventive habits
In terms of back pain countermeasures, exercise has a strong aspect of 'treatment.' However, what is truly important is 'prevention'—creating lifestyle habits that prevent pain from occurring in the first place will have a far greater effect in the long term than dealing with it after it hurts.
Stand up every 60 minutes
This is the golden rule to avoid sitting for too long. Set a timer on your smartphone or PC and make it a habit to stand up at least once an hour. Just standing up significantly changes the pressure on the intervertebral discs. A short walk to the pantry or just stretching is enough.
Review the height of your chair and desk
It is ideal to adjust the chair to a height where your knees are at 90 degrees and place the monitor slightly below your eye level. The cause of leaning forward is often not you, but the 'environment.' If your tools do not fit your body, your posture will collapse no matter how conscious you are.
Drink water frequently
Intervertebral discs are made of about 80% water and function as cushions. Lack of water leads to a decline in that cushioning function and increases the burden on the lower back. Just keeping a glass of water on your desk at all times makes it easier to make it a habit.
Review your sleep quality and bedding
The lower back recovers the most while sleeping. A mattress that is too soft or a pillow height that does not suit you will increase the burden on your lower back during sleep. If your back hurts when you wake up in the morning, please suspect your bedding first.
Turn your commute/travel time into 'walking time'
The habit of walking with a target of 8,000 steps a day has a great effect on preventing back pain. Stairs instead of elevators, walking short distances—even just that makes a big difference when added up. The secret to ease of continuation is that you don't need to secure separate 'time for exercise'.
Do not accumulate stress
Mental stress causes muscle tension and is a factor that worsens back pain. Relaxation habits such as hobbies and bathing are also excellent back pain prevention. 'Body care' and 'mind care' cannot be separated when it comes to back pain.
About individual differences—your back pain is unique to you
The causes of back pain are truly diverse, including muscle fatigue, postural distortion, intervertebral disc problems, bone deformation, internal organ diseases, and stress. Even with the same symptom of 'my back hurts,' the background can be completely different.
Therefore, I cannot say that the exercises introduced here 'work the same way for everyone.' There are people who feel better with a certain exercise, and conversely, there are people whose pain increases. If the pain becomes stronger, please stop immediately.
Also, there are individual differences in the period until the effects of the exercise appear. Some people feel changes in a week, while others take more than a month. Even if you feel 'it's not working,' it is important to continue at your own pace without rushing.
If you have the following symptoms, please prioritize consulting a professional such as an orthopedic surgeon, osteopathic clinic, or physical therapist instead of self-care. Back pain accompanied by numbness in the legs or sensory abnormalities, pain that does not go away even when resting, pain that increases especially at night, pain that started after a fall or accident, back pain accompanied by abnormalities in excretion, or if there is no improvement for more than 2 to 3 weeks, it may not be back pain that can be dealt with by exercise.
Summary—'steadiness' is everything for back pain
There is no magic for back pain exercises. But, the accumulation of 5 minutes every day will create your self six months from now. 'Prevent' rather than 'cure.' 'Continue' rather than 'do perfectly.' First, try just one exercise today.
※ This article is intended to provide general health information and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. If your symptoms are severe, please consult a medical institution.