Back pain: 7 tips to reduce pain

Sitting at your office for hours or, conversely, standing all day? If you suffer from back pain, there is surely a reason.

On average, our back is nine years older than us, this is what emerges from a study carried out in 2022 by the Haute École de Howst, from 1500 Belgians. Almost 80% of Belgians over the age of 18 suffer from back pain regularly, 15% even suffer daily. However, very often, small adjustments eliminate or prevent back pain.

Whether you are sitting all day behind a computer or very often standing in static mode, these advice from an occupational therapist will allow you to alleviate pain and perhaps make them disappear.

1. Think “near the body”

On a daily basis, the objective is to make a maximum of movements near the body. “Do you have to pick up an object? Keep your back straight and use your knees instead, ”explains Kim Falckenbach. The lever effect technique is useful in this regard: “Place a hand on a flat surface, like a table, lift a leg back while stretching the other hand towards the falling object”. A kind of dance posture that makes counterweights …

2. Clean smart

“When you clean your home, you curl No doubt the back while the idea is good to keep the back straight and move the handle of the broom, vacuum cleaner or mop along the body, “continues Kim Falckenbach. And to specify: “Do you have to brush under a low surface? Put a knee on the ground, which reduces the tension exerted on the back ”.

To stay in the department of household tasks, it is advisable to use as much as possible ergonomic cleaning equipment … “A bucket on wheels, for example, and a telescopic handle for vacuum cleaner”.

3. Don’t stay up for too long

Staying standing and motionless for hours can cause real back pain. If your job obliges you, you will then have to move regularly but also sit down, from time to time. “At home, concerning ironing for example, since the task is long, it is important to place the table slightly above the level of the hips,” explains the occupational therapist.

4. How to sit?

Even if your office chair is of good quality, it is good to keep certain tips in mind:

• Your feet should be able to land flat on the ground.
• Once this is the case, you must check the position of your pool compared to your knees. A good seated posture implies that the pelvis is slightly higher than the knees. The angle between the upper body and the thighs will therefore be slightly greater than 90 degrees.
• Keep a space between the hollow of the knee and the seat.
• To support the lumbar, be sure to choose an office chair that has a backrest with a padded support.
• The elbows should rest easily on the armrests. This is to pay attention to the position of the shoulders. At rest, the shoulders must be at a natural height. Are they going back a little? Then adjust the height of the office if possible.

5. The right distance with your screen

Your computer screen must also comply with certain rules and in particular to be “from a remote arm”. “The height is also key, explains Kim Falckenbach. The upper edge of the screen must reach the level of your eyes. This is not the case? Then place a reinforcement under the screen so that it is higher. With a laptop, it’s less obvious. Invest in a support on which you can place the laptop ”.

6. Watch out for the wrists

Place your keyboard fifteen centimeters from the edge of the office, you will have enough support for your forearms. “When you type on the computer, it is also best to pay attention to the position of your wrists. Do not let your wrists sink or rest on the table because it causes joint pain. The wrists should always be slightly raised ”.

7. Change disc

To prevent or reduce dorsal or joint pain, it will be noted that it is necessary to change your posture regularly. Thus, there is no question of sitting but not standing for too long either. “Today there are high tables that you can adjust ergonomically. In a meeting, you could also stand up, ”suggests Kim Falckenbach.

Last but not least: walking at least half an hour a day. After the job, go for a walk or, basic, never hesitate to take the staircase rather than the elevator or to park a few minutes from your destination.

Texts: Laura Liebens

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