Should my low back hurt after sitting?
By Dr. Joshua Kiely, DC
I read an article the other day that said sitting is the new smoking. This shook me up, because I love to sit. I think we all do. Nothing beats sinking down into the couch at the end of the day when work is done and it’s time to relax.
As well, many people don’t have a choice when it comes to sitting. Jobs that require driving or computers, pretty much guarantee the need to sit for some or most of the day. So how should sitting fit into our lives?
Let’s start with some physiology and the basics behind how the body reacts to sitting.
Sitting puts our spine in a flexed position. Flexion is when our spine is bent forward, and we know flexion by itself is not really harmful but instead is a normal position to move around in. Some researchers have theorized that prolonged sitting (more than 1 hour) in flexion can cause stretching and straining of our low back muscles which may cause inflammation. This inflammation may cause pain receptors to turn on and tell us our back hurts in an effort to get us to move.
Flexion can actually feel pretty good - try stretching your back by touching your toes.
On the flipside, there is evidence that our back doesn’t actually work all that hard when we’re sitting. It’s a position of rest and doesn’t really need much stretching or straining to maintain a comfortable sitting position. This would make us think that sitting and flexion aren’t causing any inflammation and therefore might not be the main driver of our pain.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a definitive answer for why sometimes our back hurts after sitting and sometimes it doesn’t. Nobody has that answer, at least not yet.
Sitting could be causing your back pain, but so could a million other things - and that might actually be good news!
Have you ever sat in the office the morning after a bad sleep or stressful call and noticed that you were achy and sore all over? Have you ever watched an awesome movie and not even noticed your back was stiff or tired the entire time?
I bet the answer to both of these questions is yes. Low back pain is a complicated subject. There are countless factors that influence how we feel day-to-day.
According to the research (and many reports I hear from patients as their chiropractor), sitting may increase back pain sometimes, for certain people. In some studies, people noticed pain is as little as 1-hour of sitting but others didn’t notice pain after 8 hours.
This makes me wonder whether perhaps different people sit different ways and it's the sitting posture that is causing trouble. Perhaps being slumpy and frumpy in a chair can create more pain?
This guy is sitting on a hard rock but probably feels great with a view like that!
Turns out there isn’t much research to support that idea either. Back pain from sitting is not picky when it comes to posture. You could sit straight as an arrow or be completely bent in half and your odds of having pain don’t change much. (Note: I think there are benefits to good posture, I just am not convinced it plays a huge role in how much pain we experience.)
Having a million factors that influence low back pain can be looked at in a positive light. It means we have a million options and strategies that may improve our pain. There are countless things we can do to improve our overall health and our pain experience, the key is finding the tools that work for you.
What the heck are we supposed to about back pain and sitting?
In case you didn’t know, I’m a mobile chiropractor in Kanata, and I have plenty of experience working with people who experience back pain from sitting. I’ve adopted a simple approach to helping Ottawans who deal with this issue.
First, I want to create an environment that promotes collaboration so I let the patient tell me their full story. This puts everything in perspective and provides opportunities to develop customized self-care strategies that may help with pain and overall health. Next, we determine the role that hands-on care may play in each individual’s plan, depending on their preferences. Lastly, we decide on alternatives to sitting and find movements and activities that relieve pain so they can deal with future episodes of back pain more effectively.
What can we start doing today?
When we cannot find alternatives to sitting (hello truck drivers and office workers!) we do the best we can at finding practical ways of incorporating more movement into the day and using manual therapy and hands-on care to supplement self-care strategies.
There are a few things you can try out during your work week if you’ve been dealing with back pain that you think might just be coming from sitting too much.
Walk daily. Ottawa is a beautiful city with incredible walking paths and trails. Find a way to get outside (or a treadmill works) and get some steps in. A great goal is to nail 10 minutes every morning and evening, eventually building up to 30 minutes each bout.
Take routine breaks from your desk or car. Pop up, move around, maybe stretch your hips and back. You’ll feel better right away and can get on with your day with a little less pain.
Check out my Instagram page for some tips and tricks that you can use to address common issues with prolonged sitting. I’ve got resources up there to address tight hips and stiff backs.
Consider upgrading some of your equipment. A chair that suits your body may be more comfortable than something that was not designed for you. Having lots of options to adjust the chair can also provide you variety during the day which helps relieve pain.
Book a discovery session and get sorted out by your friendly mobile chiropractor in Ottawa (that’s me!). We’ll create a customized plan to get you feeling better by combining hands-on care and strategies you can use at home to manage back pain from sitting. Book a free discovery session to get started.
That’s a wrap. Now stand up and move around. If your back is hurting after sitting to read that blog, shoot me an email and let's figure out how we can get you more comfortable.
