Ask HN: How do you deal with back pain from sitting all day at the office?

I normally shuffle around to more comfortable seat like sofas etc around the office. I try to wfh at least one day. It's the employers responsibility to provide corrected posture on your chair but not all can provide this in which case youre on your own. A standing desk helps too. I've seen people just stack up boxes and make a makeshift standing desk. Back pain from work sucks and I'd recommend to not take this lightly.

1. I stretch. A physiotherapist I've seen for back pain problems gave me exercises to do daily. Most of them involve stretching the back muscles. One simple exercise is to lie on the floor legs against the wall making a 90° angle with the torso. While in that position, stretching by trying to put your hands away from the wall parrallel to the floor. The chin and the toes going toward the torso. It stretches the whole muscle chain from head to toe.

2. I massage my back with a tennis ball. I use it against the floor or a wall to massage the points in my back where the pain irradiates from. I think chiropractor call those trigger points.

3. I walk. Walking/standing as much as I can during the day has helped me a lot. Sometimes after work I take a long walk. Moving, exercising, is part of the healing process. But stretching is not optionnal. Lack of stretching + exercise is a recipe for disaster : the symptoms can worsen.

-- The pain from sitting all day sucks hard. It's so frustrating.

I spend at leat 15mn every night lying on the floor doing those exercises while my SO looks at me, both concerned and amused (I reckon she's used to it now ^^).

I know it sucks to add yet another routine to our daily obligations, but this one is important. As important as brushing one's teeth I reckon. If you work in an office. It can save you a world of pain.

You can consult with a physiotherapist to get more detailed and custom-designed exercises.

Good luck