You can’t expect to work 40 years, sat for 8 to 10 hours a day without going forward health issues. The human body is simply not built for this. For desk workers the punishment has different names : stress, lower back pain, sciatica or herniated disc.
Aside of the back pains, the lack of exercice can lead to heart problems especially if your are overweight. Happily, it’s not a fatality. There are many ways to avoid it and even getting better without taking too much of your precious time.
Why we suffer : Causes of the back pain
The first cause of the « disease of the century » is our desk position. Being sit all day is a problem, especially that the office is not the end of this. Once you finish your work, you usually drive or take public transport to go back home. In both cases you might spend one hour or more being sat again. Then at home it is the same for dining, watching movies, having a drink or playing games, etc. So for sure you will have spent at least 8 hours at best or few additional hours more depending on your distance to your office and your evening routine.
What happens to your back ? The back pains are the result of a long process. It is the addition of many months or years of abuse of your body. Sitting places a strain on the discs, and poor posture or leaning forward can significantly amplify this pressure. And this pressure can lead to many issues from minor back pains to a herniated disc. The compression of vertebrae generates back pain because it can lead to pinched nerves, reduced blood flow, and inflammation of the nerves. This pressure can irritate or damage the nerves, causing pain, tingling, or numbness. Additionally, it can stress the surrounding muscles and ligaments, further contributing to discomfort and pain. When the pain is there, it is just the result of a long process. It is not triggered by a false movement as one might think.
Here is an example for sciatica.
The second main cause we can point is the stress. It is not the direct cause of the back pain but it will for sure make it worse. Indeed where you start getting stressed, the body releases an hormone called cortisol which is connected to back pain on many levels :
- Muscle tension: Elevated cortisol levels can cause muscles to tighten and spasm, leading to back pain.
- Inflammation: Chronic stress and high cortisol levels can contribute to inflammation, which can exacerbate back pain.
- Decreased healing: High cortisol can impair the body’s ability to heal and repair tissues, prolonging pain and recovery time.
- Bone density: Prolonged elevated cortisol levels can reduce bone density, increasing the risk of vertebral compression fractures and associated back pain.
In a general way, cortisol will weaken the global immune system of your body. So being exposed at a constant level of stress from your work, your family life or any other issue can impact your health in a significant way.
Now let’s see how to prevent it and possibly enjoy our life after retirement.
Physical exercices vs back pain
I personnally faced similar health issues. I went through my 30s with multiple lower back pains and sciaticas, coupled with stress and anxiety attack. I have a light scoliosis since I was a child and I have a permanent damaged lumbar disc (discopathy) due to excess and bad exercices in sport. So jumping or running a long time is painful for me. I saw many physiotherapists and osteopaths. At some point I was tired to go see one or the other every 6 months so I decided to dig the subject and find some ways to strenghten my back and body.
First I understood that being sat or even standing in the same position for many hours wasn’t good. I tried to move 5 minutes every hour if possible to release my back. This a first good practice but it was not enough to feel fully comfortable.
I became interested in yoga and stretching. I understood it was the best way to decompress the discs and strenghten the backs by reading articles and studies on this practicals. I had the occasion to follow some classes at my customers. It was harder than I thought and I remember to feel muscles that were obviously never used before.
Starting yoga offers numerous advantages, including:
- Improved flexibility: Regular practice helps to increase your range of motion and overall flexibility.
- Strength building: Yoga strengthens muscles throughout the body, improving overall physical fitness.
- Stress reduction: Yoga promotes relaxation and reduces stress levels, aiding mental health.
- Better posture: Many yoga poses focus on alignment, which can help improve posture and reduce back pain.
- Enhanced balance: Yoga improves balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
- Pain relief: Yoga can alleviate chronic pain, such as lower back pain, by stretching and strengthening muscles.
- Boosted immune system: Regular practice can strengthen the immune system, contributing to your overall health.
- Improved breathing: Yoga emphasizes deep, mindful breathing, which can enhance lung capacity and respiratory function.
- Cardiovascular health: Certain styles of yoga can improve heart health by reducing blood pressure and promoting circulation.
Starting yoga from nowhere could look complex so here are few video tutorials to start yoga easily :
- 5 minute yoga | Beginners yoga
- 10-Minute Yoga For Beginners | Start Yoga Here…
- If You Sit For Work, You NEED These Stretches
- Back Pain Relief Stretches | 10 min. Yoga for Relaxation & Recovery
- What yoga does to your body and brain – Krishna Sudhir
If yoga looks too technical, planking is as well a very good practice and a good entry point in daily routine. It is the simplest exercice and this one will provide you many benefits. You can do it anywhere and you don’t much space to pratice. I recommend to do it on a daily basis. If you never did, take your time. In all cases regularity is the key. Even if you do 10 seconds to start it is fine, then you will 20 seconds and next week 30 seconds, and so on. The idea is to start the fire, then it will burn by itself.
Planking offers several benefits for alleviating back pain:
- Core strengthening: Planking targets the core muscles, which support the spine and reduce the strain on your back.
- Improved posture: By strengthening the muscles around the spine, planking helps maintain better posture, reducing the likelihood of back pain.
- Spinal alignment: Planking promotes proper alignment of the spine, which can prevent and alleviate pain caused by poor posture or misalignment.
- Muscle balance: Planking works multiple muscle groups simultaneously, ensuring balanced strength and reducing the risk of muscle imbalances that can lead to back pain.
- Enhanced stability: Strong core muscles improve overall stability and support, reducing the likelihood of back injuries.
- Reduced stress on the spine: A strong core helps distribute weight more evenly, reducing pressure on the spine and alleviating back pain.
- Injury prevention: By building core strength and stability, planking can help prevent injuries that might otherwise lead to back pain.
Overall, incorporating planks into your exercise routine can strengthen the muscles supporting your back, improve posture, and reduce the risk of back pain.
Here are few video tutorials to start planking easily :
- What will happen if you plank every day for 1 minute
- How to Plank Properly for Beginners – Step By Step Tutorial
- Core Exercise: Plank
- Plank Exercise for Low Back Pain
Keep in mind you don’t have to practice hours to see results. Start small even if it is one minute a day. Follow your own rhythm and enjoy your progress.
Time control
‘I don’t have time’ : this is the most common argue when talking about starting a physical activity. It is true that we have few time a day to devote to ourself. Between the job, the road to the office, the family life etc, you can lose yourself easily. But you don’t have to go to a fitness club or train for one hour. You have to consider physical exercices and meditation as long-term investisment on yourself. The more we are getting old the more our body starts to collapse, bones and muscles. It is an undiscutable fact. The time has no mercy.
If you don’t start upgrading yourself now you might face inevitable issues and your « after job life » will just be back and forth to the hospitals. So stop mistreat yourself and start taking care of yourself every day. You can make your planking while listening music or a podcast. You can practice meditation at any time : when you wake up, when you go to sleep, in the train. You have to find your preferred hour and train at this time. Time might be hard to find. You must find the inner motivation and enjoy the benefits. The more you practice the less you will be sick by reducing stress and back pains. The body is made for exercices. Don’t forget we did it for million years so once you will have started, your body and mind will reclaim it.
There are only benefits. When you take your car in the morning to take your daily road, you expect it to work. If it doesn’t, you go to the garage because you don’t have any control on it. Don’t do the same with your body, don’t expect the doctor to fix all your issues. You have to prevent the issues, you must take the control of your body and your mind.
To sum up :
- Yoga, planking, walking are the best practices to relax and strengthen your back. Of course you can mix all of them.
- You only need a little time and a fitness mat
- You can do it anywhere for free
- Give a try for few weeks. Even if you do one minute a day.
- Regularity is the key
- Start small and then see bigger
- Create new habits and routines
- Improve your self-esteem
- Enjoy your journey
We are no doctors so if you have any doubts about your health issues, please consult a specialist.
Image sources
https://caringmedical.com/prolotherapy-news/sciatica-treatment
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