How to Sit with Lower Back Pain

How to Sit with Lower Back Pain – 7 Tips to Help You Stay Pain Free

Living with back pain can be quite a challenge because these pains can have such a huge impact on your mood, your work, and your ability to enjoy physical activities like sports. There are quite a few things that can cause lower back pain such as a sports injury, sitting in an improper chair, a poor posture position while you work, or a medical condition. Sitting in the right position can however ease your pain so you can heal faster or so you can finally overcome this painful injury. 

In this guide, we are going to show you how to sit with lower back pain so you can keep the pain from getting worse and ruling your life. 

How to Sit with Lower Back Pain

 

How to Sit with Lower Back Pain

It is surprising to see just how much your sitting position and posture can affect the way your lower back feels. Poor sitting posture and cheap office chairs are some of the leading causes of lower back pain as well as other types of backaches like neck pain, shoulder blade pain, and stiff back muscles.

If you want to learn how to sit healthy and straight or need to reduce back pain then you should consider the following handy tips.

 

Sit at the Right Angle

The angle you sit at has a pretty big impact on your spinal column.

The two most important aspects to pay attention to when you are sitting down include the following;

 

The Right Angle For Your Back

You have probably been instructed to sit with your back at a 90-degree angle since you can remember. But this can make the pain worse for those with lower back pain and back problems because it places a lot of strain on your spine. Your office chair backrest should be reclined at about 100 degrees or more. This dramatically reduces the strain on your spine by quite a lot since your core muscles will also be engaged to keep you upright. But you do need to be careful not to slouch forward with your upper body when your chair is tilted back.

The best recline position for those with back injuries is 135 degrees since this position reduces most pressure. But this sitting position isn’t practical for working since you likely won’t be able to reach your keyboard. 

Try to keep your chair at 100 degrees, or slightly more, while you work and at about 135 degrees when you take a break. 

 The Right Angle For Your Knees

Your knee angle can also have a huge impact on lower back pain since properly positioned knees help support some of your weight while all the weight is placed on your hips and spine when your knees are bent at a 45-degree angle. It is also very important to avoid crossed legs when you sit. 

The ideal knee position is at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor. This neutral position, along with planted feet, reduces pressure on your spine and allows good blood flow to your leg muscles.

If your feet can’t properly reach the floor without impacting your ability to reach your desk then you should invest in a footrest.

How to Sit with Lower Back Pain

Sit Straight in Your Chair

We often form a habit of leaning to one side when the computer screen isn’t positioned centrally. It is very important to keep your spine as straight as possible when you are at work. Your keyboard and computer screen should be at the center of your sitting position and it is best to prop documents you might be working on up right next to the screen. 

You should also avoid overreaching or twisting your torso while you work. This twisting motion or too much of a stretch usually happens when items like documents are positioned too far from your chair. If you need to lean forward or sidewards to reach items they are too far off and should be positioned closer. 

 

Use your Armrests

Armrests can also reduce a lot of pressure on your spine and are especially helpful for preventing shoulder pain, joint pain, neck pain, or upper back pain. Your upper body weighs quite a lot. By leaning forward, this extra weight applies more pressure on your spine and is constantly pulling your spine out of place.

A good quality office chair with 3D arms is an ideal investment because you can adjust them in height, move them forward or backward or even tilt them sideways. By supporting your arms, you reduce the pressure on your spine by about 10% which is also helpful for reducing pain symptoms.

Use Proper Back Support

Good lumbar support is an absolute must for those who struggle with lower back pain. Most modern office chairs are designed with a contoured backrest, come with an adjustable lumbar section, or offer a lumbar cushion. These designs or added accessories will support your spine and keep it in its natural curved state which also reduces pressure on your spine and helps you avoid painful nerves.

You should sit with your lower spine or tailbone pressed against the backrest of your chair. If there is a gap between your back center and the chair’s backrest then you should get a better chair or invest in additional chair accessories like a memoryh foam back support, a lumbar roll or a mesh back support that you can strap onto the chair’s backrest.

You can get enhanced lumbar support by investing in a lumbar pillow. There are many different types of lumbar pillows on the market including lumbar cushions with a warming and massaging function that can soothe nerve pain or muscle pain. 

Try Heat or Cooling Therapy

Warmth or cool packs can be helpful for reducing back pain. Get a couple of heat and ice packs or a lumbar cushion with heat function and a few cooling gel cushions. You can now alternate between these pillows or packs to reduce inflammation or numb some of the pain you might be experiencing. 

Be Careful When You Get Up

Standing up quickly is one of the most painful things you can do if you have lower back pain problems. It is very important to be careful when you get up or sit down in your chair.

The best way to stand up when you suffer from lower back pain is by scooting to the edge of your seat. Next, you need to spread out your feet to stabilize your body. Bring one leg back so you can push down on one leg while the forward leg keeps you from leaning too far forward.

Push against your armrests and lean a bit forward while you leverage all of the muscles, accept your back muscles, to lift up out of the chair. Try to keep your back as straight as possible while you rise.

Get a Better Chair

If you are sitting in a healthy position and still experience back pain then your chair might be to blame. Switching over to a quality office chair for back pain can help you reduce pain or completely overcome your condition. Quality office chairs are especially important if you are sitting for prolonged periods, for those that struggle with severe pain, or if you constantly struggle with tight muscles. 

 

Final Thoughts

Learning the right sitting position for lower back pain will make a huge difference in the way you feel and will help protect your back so you can avoid painful surgeries. If you need other advice on different solutions for back pain, or if you are looking for the best chair for sciatica then you should have a look at some of our other guides. On ChairsWiki, we are constantly sharing information on all the latest and best chairs to get for your every sitting need.

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