A sedentary lifestyle is considered one of the main causes of back and neck pain in 65 percent of young adults aged 16 to 34, according to a British Chiropractic Association study. In the study, 40 percent of participants said they sit for most of the day at work and 32 percent said sitting for extended times can trigger their back pain. But of course, the young and the British are not the only ones with this type of lifestyle, whether by choice or circumstance. If you are like the many people who sit for long periods at work, and you experience back pain, you can take some steps to prevent or relieve the pain.
1. Get Up and Move
Only 1 out of 5 workers that participated in the study don’t leave their desk and chair during the work day except for only two reasons: getting a drink or going to the bathroom. To counteract a sedentary lifestyle and ease back pain, it is important that you get up and move around. You should get in the habit of getting up from your desk and moving around for at least five minutes every hour throughout the day. If your boss glares at you when you get up, turn these minutes into mini meetings with coworkers or do something related to work that requires standing, such as going to the printer or filing some papers. At the very least perform some stretches and exercises from your chair.
2. Take Advantage Of Massage Therapy
Getting a massage for lower back pain is one of the best strategies you can try to relieve back pain and discomfort. There’s a reason that many offices are setting aside money in their budget for employees to get deep tissue massage therapy – it flat out works.
Sitting in your office chair for hours on end causes those muscles to tighten up, and deep tissue massage is one of the best options for working out those kinks. Getting a deep tissue for just 30 minutes can melt stress away and build mobility in your back’s muscle groups. This will help you to become more productive at work and also allow you to work for longer hours. Deep tissue massage therapists get down to the root of the issue to relieve the pain.These techniques have been proven for years to loosen up even the worst kinks in your back. Once you start getting deep tissue massages, you won’t want to stop!
3. Prevent and Ease Back Pain with Exercise
Health professionals often recommend exercise to prevent and treat back pain. Strengthening the core muscles can often prevent back pain, improve posture and treat back issues. In addition, stretching, yoga and Pilates can all improve posture, stretch the back muscles and strengthen the core.
Valentina Boonstra
Massage therapist, caregiver for pre-op and post-operative surgery, 
