Back Care Awareness

Last week was Back Care Awareness week (Oct 8-12) that happens every year during this month and helps to try and create awareness about the problems of back pain and how it affects our everyday lives. This year the focus was mainly on builder’s back pain. Sadly it is not just the builders that are affected with back pain, I am sure that most of you are aware that this is a problem in many different industries throughout the world, including a large proportion being office desk workers.

Whether you work from home, in an office, or just spend most of your time seated in a chair or office chair during the day, back pain amongst other aches and pains, is or will become one of your worst enemies.

Obviously the first thing to think about if you want to avoid these problems, or if you are suffering from them is do I have the right chair? Chances are that you don’t if you are suffering. Phrases like “you get what you pay for” ring true in this instance as if you try and find the cheapest office chair, the chances are that you’re not going to get the best support and have the right posture than if you spent a bit more on a proper ergonomic chair.

There are other tips to try and maintain a healthy posture, here are a few:

Try and sit back in your chair at all times, as sitting forward and hunching over your office desk whilst working is a fast way to getting back pain. As well as this try not to slouch. Keep your lower back and bottom at the back of the seat and touching the lowest part of the back. This will help to ensure that your body and back maintains a healthy S curve.