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Wellbeingtoolkit

Back care

Due to the current restrictions to reduce thespread of coronavirus, we’re spending moretime at home.

Between working remotely and watching a few extraseries on Netflix, it can add up to a lot of time sittingdown, taking its toll on our back and overall health. Whether it's a dull ache or sharp twinges, backproblems can really affect your quality of life andwellbeing. In this factsheet, we'll look at why sitting too much issuch a risk, things to consider when it comes tomaking your home workspace back friendly and waysto improve your posture to protect your spine health inthe long term.

Back care

The impact of sitting

Working from home

Improving your posture

In this factsheet

The impact ofsitting

But too much time spent sitting down can reallyhave a negative impact on our backs.

Now that many of us are working from home,it's easy for the amount of time we spendsitting down to creep up.

Why sitting takes its toll

The spine has a natural curve in the small of the backwhen we are standing. When we sit down and leanforward this curve reverses, more than doubling theusual pressure on the lower portion of the spinewhich can lead to back pain. The longer we sit, the more likely we are to developdiseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease andcancer. Studies have found that even when exercisingdaily, we’re still at risk of developing diabetes andother chronic conditions if we regularly sit for morethan 6 hours a day.

Healthy back basics

Never bend and twist at the same time

Turn your feet to change direction

Keep the muscles in your lower back,abdomen, hips and legs strong andflexible so they can support the curve ofyour spine

Avoid slumping and arching your backas these postures can take your bodyout of good alignment

Try not to sit or stand in one positionfor long periods and take regularbreaks

Safe sitting

Avoid chairs and sofas which are too low, deep orsoft.Avoid long periods of sitting – a walk round theroom every so often will ease muscles and jointswhich are becoming stiff and sore.Vary your position every 20 to 30 minutes.Good seating should have an adjustable height,back rest and lumbar support.Ideally a chair should also have arms to help youget up, and rotate so you don’t twist to reachthings behind you.

Working fromhomeWhen we’re at work, our workstation islikely to be well set up, with our desk andchair configured to suit our needs.

As the number of us currently working fromhome has increased significantly, this may nowbe a different story.

Has a good backrest that provides lumbarsupportIdeally can recline – sitting upright at 90degrees is actually not good for your spine - a100 to 110 degree angle is betterIs not too high – your feet should be flat on thefloorCan rotate or swivel so that you can easilyswitch from task to task 

Like many people at the moment, you may findyourself working at your kitchen table, standingat a counter top or from the sofa.  It can greatly improve your productivity andgeneral wellbeing if you’re able to create adesignated workspace area that includes a deskand upright chair.  Wherever you’re working, try to become moreaware of your posture. Use a well-constructed chair that:

wrong sitting position

correct sitting position

Sit upright with yourback and shouldersagainst the back ofthe chair 

Avoid holding yourphone between yourhead and shoulder

Don’t slouch

Your arms should restlightly on thearmrests to avoidcirculatory problemsor nerve pressure

Keep your feet flat onthe floor – don’t crossyour legs

Relax your shoulderswhile working on yourkeyboard

Take regular breaks tokeep muscles andjoints moving

Improving yourposture

Improving your posture can help to alleviate any tension that has developed. Developing good posture mayfeel a bit odd at first but with practice will become second nature.

If you are experiencing any discomfort from sitting, try the exercises below to strengthen yourback and help align your spine.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and heels close toyour bottomYour feet should be shoulder-width apart and flat on thefloorRaise your hips to create a straight line from your kneesto your shouldersAs you come up, tighten your abs and buttocksLower yourself gently to the starting positionRepeat 8 to 10 times

Grab the top of your left foot behindyou and gently pull your heel towardsyour left buttock to stretch the front ofthe thigh, keeping the knees touching. Hold for 15 secondsAvoid leaning forwards or to the sideRepeat with the other leg

Bridges

Standing thigh stretch

Lie on your right-handside with your right kneebent at 90 degrees, andyour left leg straight andin line with your backPress your left fingersinto the top of yourbuttock to keep your lefthip slightly tilting forwardRaise your left leg as faras you can withoutletting your hips tilt back Slowly lower to thestarting positionPerform 8 to 10 timesand repeat on the otherside

Lie on your front proppedup on your forearms andtoesKeep your legs straight andhips raised to create astraight and rigid line fromhead to toeYour shoulders should bedirectly above your elbowsFocus on keeping your abscontracted during theexerciseHold this position for 5 to10 seconds and repeat 8 to10 times

Plank

Side-lying leg raises

Step your left legforward, keeping bothfeet pointing straightahead Keeping your back legstraight and avoidingsticking your buttockout and arching yourback, slowly bend yourfront leg and push yourright buttock forwarduntil you feel a stretchacross the front of yourright hip jointRepeat with the otherleg

Lie on your front and rest on yourforearms, with your elbows bent atyour sidesLook towards the floor and keepyour neck straightKeeping your neck straight, archyour back up by pushing down onyour handsYou should feel a gentle stretch inthe stomach musclesBreathe and hold for 5 to 10secondsReturn to the starting positionRepeat 8 to 10 times

Hip-flexor stretches

Back extensions

Wellbeing toolkitThis factsheet is part of ourWellbeing Toolkit aimed at helpingteams stay well during thecoronavirus outbreak. Each week, a new pair of factsheetscovering mental and physical wellbeing isreleased. Take a look at westfieldhealth.com/covid-19 for access to all resources.