5 Reasons for Lower Back Stiffness and Pain After Sitting at Desk

Around four adults out of every five suffer back pain for one reason or another. One of the major contributors to back pain in our daily lives is the poor lifestyle of most of us. Bound to technology and many gadgets, one tends to spend a considerable portion of their day seated, lying down, or slouching in front of the screen for an unhealthy number of hours. This inactive lifestyle leads to many problems, and back pain is the most common symptom.

Besides that, the demanding office jobs of today also make workers sit for more than 7-8 hours a day in front of the screen; hence they end up all curled, sprawled, or shrugged in uncomfortable positions. Sooner than you realize, you have developer lower back stiffness, nerve compression, and long-term musculoskeletal injuries. That being said, it is easier to prevent back pain than cure it.

Several lower back stiffness causes and certain reasons lead to serious back pain. Addressing and avoiding them on time can help you overcome that issue easily. In this article, we will cover some hip and lower back stiffness causes and some easy ways to help eliminate them from your routine.

What Causes Lower Back Stiffness?

Multiple factors contribute to lower back pain and stiffness. These can range from light daily activities to once in a while occasional things that might damage the back muscles in the long term. Here are some often known causes of lower back stiffness in people.

Posture Problems

Lower back discomfort can be brought on or made worse by poor posture. A person can alter their sitting or standing position to improve their posture. The discomfort is frequently reduced or eased by it.

Injury

When lifting anything improperly, people may sustain a strain or sprain in their lower back. This doesn't mean you aren't at risk of lower back injury if you do not lift heavy weight or work on strenuous tasks. A person can also be injured even when sitting at an unfortunate angle.

Muscle Strain

Lumbar strain is another name for a lower back muscle strain. It happens when your back is excessively stretched or twisted. You could feel discomfort in your buttocks but not in your legs when you have a muscular strain. Additionally, a strain will make your back tight and difficult to move.

While most individuals heal from a strain within a month, if a bad sitting position caused it and you didn't change it, it could persist.

A Weak Core

One might not realize how not working hard and well on your body brings about harmful effects until they need to use those muscles and actively engage their bodies in strenuous activities. For people with recurrent back and similar issues, a weak core is a major problem because it cannot withstand body load.

These muscles include the back, hips, abdomen, and buttocks, which, if affected, can easily transmit the pain to your body and hence fall prey to lower back pain and stiffness.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a painful condition that develops when something presses on the sciatic nerve, which runs through the buttocks and down the back of the leg. The discomfort could be a dull ache or could be severe and feel like an electric shock.

How to Relieve Lower Back Stiffness?

If we talk about curing lower back stiffness, it is important to address the root cause so one can avoid it in the workplace. Thankfully, you can take many measures to prevent lower back stiffness or even back stiffness in any region of the body. Here are some changes to make in your lifestyle for lower back problems.

Exercise

Exercising is the best way to reset your body muscles and internal health each time you feel a bit low. Especially lower back stiffness exercises are highly recommended for people who suffer from constant lingering or once in a while lower back pain. Thankfully with modern research and technology, you can practice various desk exercises using under-the-desk equipment or even some easy-to-do lower back stiffness stretches in the workplace. Such exercises take a few minutes maximum and can easily eliminate any retaining pain or stress in the body.

Comfortable Furniture

A piece of comfortable furniture will avoid the back problem from the root because if your back is not subjected to load, stress, and physical fatigue, it is less likely to develop any serious pain and long-term issues. For office workers opting for an ergonomic chair is the only wise solution. You can choose the best ergonomic chair in your budget or even use the employee purchase program to get a handsome discount from various ergonomic stores.

Since the best office chair for back pain allows spine alignment and ensures a person is sitting comfortably with no weak points in the body being hit with pain and load, one can easily prevent the onset of back pain and subsequently minimize the chances of lower back stiffness.

Take Frequent Breaks

Whether it means shifting your body weight to a more comfortable position or getting up from your desk altogether, taking breaks is the most efficient and straightforward way to prevent your body from reaching a breaking point. If you don't want to leave your workstation or can't get up from your chair every hour or so, then a reclining ergonomic chair is a simple solution where you can work in a reclined position and take off building up the load from your back.

Seat Cushion

Seat cushions or lumbar cushions help with lumbar strain, which is one of the leading causes of lower back stiffness. This problem becomes permanent if not treated properly, resulting in ligaments being pulled or strained in the spinal column. Lumbar support for office chairs is very helpful in eliminating lumbar strain hence preventing back stiffness.

Hot and Cold Treatment

Lower back pain can frequently be relieved by alternating between heat and cold. The pain may be lessened by taking a hot bath or water bottle. Heat can help the back's muscles and tissues repair by boosting blood flow to the area.

Pain can also be relieved by applying ice packs or bags of frozen vegetables, but make sure to wrap them in a cloth first.