5 Causes for Lower Back Pain In Your Workplace and how to fix them without breaking the bank

Let’s be straight here,  Lower back pain is a common problem.

Perhaps you are living a sedentary lifestyle and yes, you have tried to be physically active as much as possible but it doesn't work that way. 

In 2012, a survey found that people worked 36.6 hours per week on average.

Imagine that most of these people, including you, have to use a desk job. "Eighty percent of the population of the United States, at some point in their life, is going to have back pain," says Ronald J. Wisneski, MD, an orthopedic surgeon.

Then came the Standing Desk, a new revolution that stands up against sitting disease. (see what I did there :) You can now write, type and use the computer while standing up.

But what? Another lower back pain? How is that possible? Shouldn't this standing desk thing be all healthy stuff?

Now here are just few reasons of why you’re suffering from a lower back pain:

1. INJURY.
   These injuries can cause pain and limit your movement.  It is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work days. No matter if you sit or stand...
   
   
2. STRESS.
   Stress and low back pain can create a vicious circle. You have back pain, and you begin to worry about it. This causes stress, and your back muscles begin to tense. Tense muscles make your back pain worse, and you worry more ... which makes your back worse ... and so on.
   
   
3. WRONG STANDING POSTURE.
   Standing all the time does pose problems in itself – this is nothing new. In the hype, excitement and motivation people often feel when switching to this new way of working, it can be easy to jump into it too quickly – getting rid of the old desk they previously sat at and standing all of the time at their new standing desk.
   Simply standing is not enough to have good health. If your desk doesn’t promote the correct posture while standing or if you don’t use it correctly, you will begin to experience pains where pressure is incorrectly being placed.
   
   
   
4. FLOORING.
   Back pain can strike anyone, at any point in life. In the U.S., it is the most frequent excuse for missed work and the most common pain complaint. If you have concrete flooring at your job or home, the etiology of your back pain could stem from standing on those hard floors. The body is built with natural shock-absorbers, but even these systems can fail after repeated abuse from concrete flooring.

Wait, there are ways to FIX THIS! 

1. Get enough restorative sleep
   Yes, you’re not going to be working out for a while. Yes, you can hate me, but do so from the comfort of your couch for at least a few days until you can walk, jog, and bend in all directions without pain. Don't underestimate the impact of regularly applying cold packs and/or hot packs to help reduce your lower back pain and spur the healing process. Get some rest, if you need to tell others to leave you alone, use this nifty Do Not Disturb Sign and politely tell people to leave you alone.
   
   
2. Find activities that make you happy
   Ongoing pain can wreak havoc on your life, affecting your cherished relationships, finances, and your ability to get stuff done at work and at home. It can also interrupt your sleep and affect your mood. Because many other problems commonly occur along with chronic lower back pain, anything you can do for yourself that is a natural anti-depressant will help.
   
   
3. Stretch your hamstrings twice daily
   One of the easiest things you can do to help alleviate lower back pain is to gently stretch your hamstrings. Tight hamstrings will stress your lower back and sacroiliac joints, leading to more pain. Hamstring stretching should be done at least twice per day.
   
   
4. Think Ergonomically 
   Design your workspace.Use a floor mat that is made to ease your long standing hours of work. Anti-fatigue mats are often used to decrease foot and lower limb disorders for workers who stand in one position for long periods. This will provide support for your feet and relieve pressure on your heels, back, legs, and shoulders, which in turn helps you stand for longer. Most people who are required to stand all day for work wish they could sit down, and here we are, standing on purpose. Nearly everyone agrees that using an anti-fatigue mat can reduce the risk of injury, improve your circulation, and help you move around more during the day. 
   Now choose, do you want to get rid of those floors? Or invest in an Anti-Fatigue mat?.