In today’s world, working in front of screens is imperative for most professions. With computers and phones come long hours sitting in a sedentary posture, and with that comes back pain. For those who work all day at a stretch at a desk with a computer, lower back pain is a very common concern. With the spread of online education after the pandemic, even the youth are suffering from lower back pain. Taking painkillers to kill the symptoms seems to be the easy way out for most people, but that does not take away chances of more severe breakouts in the future. 

Seeing a lower back pain chiropractor might be another solution to your lower back pain. Those who are professionally tied to screen time cannot compromise the hours they spend on the computer. They can take the help of a chiropractor to get relief from pain with corrective adjustments. However, without identifying and changing the very habits related to one’s posture causing lower back pain, it is fruitless to get any kind of treatment or medication. Only by altering poor posture and taking measures against inducing it, one can effectively resolve lower back pain issues. 

How Postural Habits Cause Lower Back Pain?

Those who sit for hours at a screen regularly get accustomed to one particular posture that keeps getting repeated every day. This leads to stiffness in the joints and muscles, causing lower back pain. Moreover, staring at screens for a long time while the neck is fixed in a certain position inevitably strains the muscles of the lower back, leading to chronic pain and restricting neck movement. Let us look at how all these factors cause lower back pain – 

• Poor postural habits while sitting can lead to fatigue, muscle strain, and imbalance in the functioning of the skeletal system.
• Spine discs may get pressurized when one sits for too long in a bad posture. Even driving in a poor posture at a stretch may put intense pressure on the spine discs, causing lower back pain.
• Our spine maintains a natural curvature that is important for the flexible functioning of our entire skeletal system. However, bad posture can misalign this natural curvature of our spine, causing chronic pain that may sometimes be debilitating.
• Leaning forward to stare at a screen for hours, or slouching back while sitting may also cause nerve compression. This leads to the narrowing of the space of the spinal column from where the nerves radiate. This pressure created on the nervous system leads to sciatica and lower back pain.
• Any postural habits restricting the movement of particular areas of the body will inevitably restrict proper circulation and waste removal from the tissues. This leads to a diminished nutrient supply, further causing pain, stiffness, and loss of flexibility.

Preventing Lower Back Pain with Good Posture

While taking a painkiller may mask your symptoms for a while, being rid of lower back pain is not possible by such means. Seeing a lower back pain chiropractor may help you with hands-on adjustments to give relief from pain in the long run. Such an expert will also give you tips as to how you can maintain a good postural habit to prevent severe episodes of pain. You can also make the following changes to your routine habits to achieve a good posture:

1. Adjust your seating in such a way that supports your natural spinal curvature, keeping your knees in line with your hips.
2. Use a lower back support in your chair. This may even be a rolled-up towel or a small cushion for comfort.
3. Take frequent short breaks out of your sitting period to relax any tension built up in your body.
4. Use chairs with armrests to take off extra pressure from your shoulders and neck.
5. Do not strain your core muscles. Use your core gently to maintain proper lumbar support and reduce pressure on your lower back.
6. Adjust the placement of your keyboard, mouse, and other tools so that you can access them without having to stretch too far.
7. Use ergonomic accessories like footrests and keyboard trays to relieve extra strain.

Conclusion:

Bad sitting habits, a sedentary lifestyle, and greater screen time cause severe and chronic lower back pain. Changing posture and sitting habits can help to prevent pain and give more energy. Adjusting seats, using ergonomic accessories, taking frequent breaks, and using cushions and armrests are a few ways to gain good postural habits and prevent lower back pain.