Physical Therapist Questions Low Back Pain

I get a pain in my lower back when I sit. How can I reduce the pain?

I have a desk job that requires me to sit for around 16 hours a day. I have developed a severe lower back problem. How can I manage that through exercise?

6 Answers

First of all, you need to have a standing desk for work and you need to have a good schedule for your exercise. You can set an alarm for every 55 min. to stand up and move around and do some simple stretching exercises.
Proper sitting posture is the key to prevent aches and pains. I recommended using a back support/ pillow to prevent slouching. Sitting for long hours like you do at your job makes your muscles of your hip and knee tight which in long run starts affecting your back. I recommend stretching exercises and good core strengthening exercises. You might want to see a physical therapist to show you proper form of doing these exercises.
I hope that helps!
You need to exercise. Progressive resistive exercise for the back and abdominal muscles, also stretching, and you need to walk and stretch every couple of hours, not sit for such a long time.
Taking frequent stretch and walking breaks is one way. Another idea is to be sure you're using great posture and ergonomics. The best way is to schedule one or two sessions with a PT to get on a program designed to counteract the weakness and tightness you are developing in certain muscles, which is what's contributing greatly to your pain.
you should avoid sitting for so long during the 16 hours. For example get up for 1 minute every hour just to stretch out. Do some McKenzie standing extensions (youtube it). Also, when you are not working, i would highly recommend to exercise (weight training, cross training, pilates, yoga) any exercises that gets you moving all over to counter balance the sedentary job you have.
The number one thing you should do before you even exercise is to address the actual problem: that is the amount of time you are sitting at your desk. I recommend to all of my patients to set an alarm and get up once every 20-30 minutes to stand and move around just a little. Sitting is the new smoking. Our bodies need movement and prolonged sitting, especially with poor posture, is not healthy for you. If you are unable to get a sitting to standing work-station, I would try to get a good chair and utilize a lumbar roll/support while seated. Plus, you need to sit properly. Sit as far bacon the chair as possible so your hips are blocked from rolling backward, then place the lumbar roll/support in the small of your back. Sit back up against the lumbar roll with over-corrected posture, then ease off by about 10%. That is where you want to try to maintain you posture while you are seated for that 20-30 minutes before getting up and moving around. I cannot really recommend any exercises this time, as I have not evaluated you to determine what may be mechanically wrong producing your pain.