Most Americans spend a considerable part of their day sitting down. The average adult in the United States spends roughly six and a half hours a day sitting down, while teenagers sit much longer for eight hours a day. And for those who work sedentary jobs in front of computers, those numbers may be much higher.
So, since many of us remain seated for a huge chunk of our day, feeling back pain may be uncomfortable and difficult to ignore. It is so common that most people will experience back pain once in their life, and may even miss work because of it. Some of these reasons may require medical attention, but less serious reasons may have easier solutions. Here are three possible reasons you’re experiencing pain when you sit down.
Undiagnosed Medical Condition
Back pain that lasts more than six weeks may be linked to an underlying condition that’s causing back pain. It could only be a muscle or ligament strain (try to remember if you performed heavy lifting, strenuous physical activity, or had a bad fall in the last few weeks). It may also possibly be one of the following:
- Ruptured disk
- Osteoarthritis
- Skeletal irregularities (e.g., scoliosis)
- Sciatica
- Kidney stones
- Osteoporosis
If your back pain is prolonged and has reached a point where you cannot focus on your daily activities because of back pain, you may need to see your doctor. Surgery may be an option, but this is usually reserved for severe cases. Surgery is rarely necessary to treat back pain, and treatments like non-surgical scoliosis correction and other therapies and remedies for different medical conditions will not require surgery. CBD oil is proved to be a great alternative in treating pain. See this link for more details and a list of top CBD oils https://www.healthcanal.com/best-cbd-oil.
Poor Posture
If you tend to slouch or hunch when you sit, you’re straining the discs on your spine, and that may be the source of your back pain. Even if you’re not working on your desk and just sitting on your living room sofa and watching Disney Princess movies in order, sitting in one position for a long period can cause back pain.
When sitting down, always try to practice sitting straight. Keep your shoulders leveled and do not let your pelvis rotate forward, or your lower spine will curve. You know you’re sitting straight when you can feel the small of your back stretch. Ideally, for every 45 minutes you’re sitting down, you should be standing up for 15 minutes.
Craning Your Body Forward
What about those people who feel pain in their neck and upper back instead of their lower back? That can be attributed to those who often crane forward while on their computers, television, or phone. Poor eyesight may force them to move forward to see, but by doing so, you’re throwing your back out of alignment.
You can tell your body is out of alignment or not in a comfortable posture if you feel painful or stiff when you move and stand up. If you’re working, always keep your screen at eye level at a comfortable distance and your shoulders up.
For most people, back pain can be attributed to a poor sitting posture. But if you’re actively trying to fix your posture but still find that you have lower or upper back pain when you sit, it may be time to see a doctor to help diagnose what might be causing your pain.
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