Many people have persistent or recurring back pain as a result of their habits at work. This can be due to the ergonomics (or lack thereof) of your desk, or the lack of foot support. In this article we’ll discuss a few was to avoid back pain by making a few adjustments to your work habits. Since not everyone works in an office setting sitting at a computer every day, we will breakdown these tips for sitting jobs and standing jobs.

Sitting Job

Sitting in front of a computer for 8+ hours a day during the workweek takes a toll on your overall health (perhaps you’ve seen the infamous infographic about how sitting is slowly killing us all). If you are forced to sit all day every day, there are a number of tactics you can employ to reduce your potential back and neck pain:

• Ergonomics. Make sure you are sitting straight in your desk, that your desktop is level with your eyesight, and that your elbows form a 90 degree angle when your hands are at the keyboard.
• Move around. Get up and walk around once an hour if you can. Take a bathroom break, grab a glass of water, or just stand up and shake out your limbs.

Even better, if it’s an option in your workspace upgrade to a standup desk. But make sure you are maintaining good posture and not putting all your weight on one leg – that can lead to back issues as well!

Standing Job

Many jobs require a person to stand, kneel, and move around – a few common examples that come to mind are construction workers, and those who work in the service industry. The tips for avoiding back pain in these jobs are much different than the tips for sitting jobs. Most importantly in jobs that require long periods of standing – invest in quality footwear. Buy shoes that fit well and get some inserts for additional support.

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