There’s nothing worse than suffering through your job with aches and pains in your lower back. It can make the day feel longer and can really put a dampener on your mood. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to preventing, diagnosing and treating lower back pain, which is why I’ve created a series of informative videos dispelling the myths and revealing the facts. In this article, I’ll discuss myth two – sitting up straight.

Sitting up straight

If you’re suffering from lower back pain, one piece of advice that people often suggest is to sit up straight. Whether you personally thought this was true, or it’s something people have told you, it’s not great advice to follow. Simply sitting up straight actually fatigues certain muscles in the spine, which can add to your lower back pain. Putting unnecessary pressure on the spine by staying in a static, upright position is not a good idea.

What should I do instead?

When sitting at your desk, try changing position around every 10 minutes, as this redistributes the fatigue. For example, if you switch from sitting up straight for 10 minutes to leaning on your armrest (and so on, every 10 minutes), this will relieve your lower back muscles from fatigue and move the pressure to another area of your body. With this method, you can reduce the amount of fatigue experienced by any one area of your spine, which stops you from further injuring your lower back and experiencing more pain.

Get out of your seat every 30 minutes

It’s also a good idea to stand up and walk around your office every 30 minutes or so. This will help to further relieve pressure on any one area of the spine. Show your back the care and protection it deserves.

If you’re interested in finding out more about what you need to do to overcome your lower back pain, why not take a look at our exercise for lower back pain starter pack? In a step by step fashion, we’ll take you through everything you need to know to relieve your symptoms and protect your back.