Sitting with back pain is something I do a lot! I have had back problems since about 1999 and unfortunately, my life requires me to sit more than I would like to. In this post, I will walk through some of the things I do to help me get through the day. Hopefully, you will find some benefit based on my experience.
Most people sit a lot during the day. I, for example, get out of bed and I sit down to eat breakfast. I then sit in traffic for about 45 minutes on my way to work. Sitting in a cubicle is even more time on my butt. Then comes quitting time, and I make the 45-minute trek home, again seated on my backside. If only there was a way to drive to work standing up.
Oh yes, and when I get home, it is dinner time, and I work on my blog in the evenings. I do make a trip to the gym just about every day so that works in my favor.
The suggestions below are items or activities that I have found extremely useful over the years. I know I am not alone, sitting with back pain during the day so hopefully, this will help.
Use a seat cushion
This is something I have started doing pretty recently. I have been dealing with tailbone pain so I bought a seat cushion with a coccyx (fancy word for tailbone) cutout. This not only relieves some pressure from sitting, but it also makes my crappy office chairs at home and work much more bearable to sit on.
I love my seat cushions and I don’t know how I made it through life without one! I have even taken my cushion to sporting events when I know I will be sitting on a hard surface, like bleachers.
Use a lumbar support
Again, a recent discovery for me. I drive an older model pickup to work. The driver seat has (had) a manually adjustable lumbar support. Well, the knob that adjusts the lumbar support broke, so I have no way to make it work now. I didn’t realize how big of a deal this was until I purchased a lumbar support cushion. Man, what a difference! My lower back is now in a much better position when I am driving and I really think this helps with my tailbone problems as well.
A lumbar cushion can be used in a vehicle or any other chair. They typically come with an adjustable elastic strap so you can wrap it around the back of the chair and it will stay in place.
Stand up desk
I have a stand-up desk at work and just recently purchased an adjustable height desk for my home office. The desk I have at work is one that sits on top of my existing desk and I manually raise and lower it. The sit-stand desk option holds both of my monitors and has a platform for my keyboard and mouse.
The unit I just purchased for my home, with the push of a button, the whole desk moves up or down. This desk has programmable height settings as well. I tend to spend a decent amount of time on the computer when I am at home, so this desk has been a welcome addition to my home office.
Get up and walk
Okay, duh, this sounds like such a no brainer right? I take time out of my busy day to get up and walk, even if it’s just a walk around the building or around the block. If you have a problem sitting with back pain, get up and walk!
Walking has so many wonderful benefits and I can’t get through the day without a few trips around the block. Lately, I have been going for a twenty-minute walk over my lunch break. I typically eat lunch at my desk, so I get out of the office and walk afterward. I feel much more energized and I think a lot of people can benefit from walking at work.
My wife and I walk every night also. We can get caught up on the day and it gives us time to talk about our teenagers LOL.
Micromovements
This one is a little more difficult to explain. Of course, we can’t stand all the time, so I often make little shifts in the way I sit. This has become increasingly common for me while driving. I will literally sit on one side of my rear, then shift to the other, which helps with my tailbone pain.
You would be amazed at how little adjustments to the way you are sitting can change the whole dynamic of back pain. If you find a position that works, go with it. Then find another position that is comfortable.
Conclusion: Sitting with back pain
These are some of the products and methods that help me out during the day with all the sitting I do. I am a very active person and yet I still have to sit quite a bit every day. Hopefully, you can find some much-needed relief with your back pain as well.