In today’s technologically advanced day and age, back pain is a common problem that may affect many office workers who spend long hours sitting in front of the computer.

But if you are suffering from bouts of back pain, then you need not simply grit your teeth and bear with it as an occupational hazard though.

Here are some common reasons why people get back pain and what you can do instead, if you find that you are having back pain.

Standing still

If you are standing in a slouched position for long periods of time, this constricts your blood vessels and nerves and also stresses the muscles and joints in your back leading to back pain.

Instead, practise standing in an upright position. And do remember to change your position regularly so that you are not putting stress on your muscles and joints, for example, shifting your weight from one leg to the other periodically.

Using your phone

Everyone has a smartphone these days, but constant usage of our smartphones leads to stress on the neck and spine because the neck is bent in a forward position and has to support the the full weight of your head.

Instead, try and raise your phone, holding it to eye level so that you do not cause stress on your neck and spine muscles and joints.

Working on your laptop

Office workers spend long hours seated and looking at their laptop screens. This is a major cause of back pain and may even cause long term injury and pain to the back and spine, if not treated. This is because many office workers tend to slouch in their seats when they work rather than maintaining an upright position. As the spine has a natural curve, a bad posture will compromise the spine, thus leading to such unnecessary pain and injury.

So when you are working on your laptop in the office, make sure that you are seated high enough so that the computer screen is at eye level and that your wrists are parallel to the ground when you type. This should minimise back and spine pains.

Lifting heavy objects

When you bend over to pick up heavy objects, this puts pressure on the joints and muscles – in fact 19 per cent of people with back pain work in the transport and storage sector.

But if heavy lifting is part and parcel of your job, there is not much that you can do to reduce the load. However do try and lift the objects in an appropriate manner, that is, do not bend down to pick them up. Rather, squat down on your knees before you pick up the object, and then slowly pick it up as you are returning to a standing position. This should at least help to alleviate back pain to some degree.

Know when to see a specialist

However do note that if you find you are practising the above but your back pain is not getting any better, it is important to get in touch with an orthopaedic specialist to find out the reason behind the pain and seek a prompt diagnosis and treatment.

This article has been brought to you by the Mount Elizabeth Hospitals Group.