A new pandemic is rising.
Recent studies and news including articles from BBC show that back pain is now the world’s most common disability issue, with roughly 76.5 million people experiencing persistent back pain or injury. In 2022, more people are suffering from back pain than ever before; it’s a pandemic that is sweeping the globe.
And the cause? Humans are addicted to chairs. With the sharp rise in remote working, driving instead of using public transport, and the widespread use of Netflix, online shopping, social media and delivery apps, it is no wonder back ache is becoming an issue of global scale.
Excessive sitting harms your back and your wellbeing, leading to low moods, reduced productivity, and of course, chronic pain in your upper back or lumbar region. If you are one of the millions of people suffering from back pain, it’s very likely you’re spending too much time sitting down.
You don’t have to fall victim to back pain. In this blog, we’ll give you simple tips on how you can tackle the ever-growing back pain pandemic and work towards a brighter, happier and healthier future.
Create healthier habits
Developing good habits and making better lifestyle choices will give you more energy while improving your overall health. In turn, this will boost your productivity levels and help you maintain a healthy weight, taking the strain off your back in the process.
Here are three sustainable lifestyle choices that will boost your health and keep your back pain at bay:
Diet plays a vital role in our physical and mental wellbeing, yet many underestimate its importance. Food is both fuelling and medicinal. Eating anti-inflammatory foods will make your back pain more manageable. Weaving foods such as ginger, turmeric, raw nuts, coffee, red grapes, cherries, pulses, and salmon throughout your diet will help take the edge off your back pain.
Your body needs time to rest and repair. It’s therefore very important to set consistent bedtime routines and commit to getting seven hours of sleep every night. Sleeping well also improves mental resilience, equipping you with the tools to tackle your back pain during the day. Going to bed at the same time every night and switching off screens an hour beforehand will help you settle into a good sleep. Placing a pillow between your legs will also support your back while you rest.
If you work at home, it’s more than likely your office setup is fuelling your back pain (probably more than anything else). Creating an ergonomically-sound workplace is conducive to tackling back pain. At HumbleWorks, we are passionately committed to helping you build a workspace that is comfortable, kind to your body, and will maximise productivity.
For tips on how to make changes for the better, take a look at this practical guide to setting up the ideal workspace.
Take a stand
Creating better lifestyle habits is essential to a life free from back pain. However, eating and sleeping well alone will not spare you from inconvenience or agony. In order to tackle back pain effectively, we need to address the root cause of the issue: your sedentary habits.
Sitting is the new smoking. Being chair-bound for excessive periods invites a whole host of health issues, including cardiovascular disease and hypertension, obesity, low mood, and, yes, you guessed it, back pain.
Why does excessive sitting cause back pain, exactly? One of the primary reasons is that sitting down for prolonged periods causes postural stress, leading inevitably to issues, ailments, and of course, pain. According to Harvard Health, poor posture while working is also linked to problems including incontinence, constipation, and digestive problems.
So, what’s the best thing you can do to tackle back pain head on? Take a stand.
Inadequate workstations are largely responsible for reduced muscle function, bad joint alignment, scoliosis, constant fatigue, potbelly, and endless aches and pains. Therefore flip the script by placing your chair aside and standing up. Stretch upwards, place yourself in a vertical position, and let the better times begin.
Standing while working will reduce your risk of obesity and cardiovascular issues by helping burn more calories. Taking a stand also helps boost mood and energy levels, and perhaps most importantly, reduces back pain significantly. Indeed, a study from the CDC discovered that standing up minimised upper back and neck pain by 54% after just four weeks.
In our docuseries with Dr James Levine, we discuss the health-boosting power of the standing desk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUKMquEpwrw&list=PLNAcjuHTdhM_80WhCmekLWI_JcvmVk2Kx.
Are you ready to take control of your back pain? Then take a stand with one of our cutting-edge standing desks. These expertly crafted desks will improve your posture and effectively combat back pain while optimising your work performance. Each design is made from sustainable materials, takes seconds to set up, and is completely portable. This is the pain-busting solution you’ve been waiting for.
Shift your mindset…
Now that you know how to treat back pain effectively, you need to shift your mindset. Masking back ache with painkillers long-term essentially becomes an avoidance tactic, and a costly one at that as your risk of stroke is greatly increased.
Want to make a sustainable difference to your life and take charge of your back pain once and for all? Then a standing desk is your answer.
For more inspiration, keep an eye out for our article ‘It’s Time to Take a Stand Against Back Pain’, coming soon.
If you missed part 1 of this blog, ‘Sitting is Harming Your Back & Your Wellbeing. Here’s How’, you can find it here.