Like most modern [lazy] professionals, I’m sitting down most of the day.
There’s a situation that arises a few times a year where I have to be on my feet, not walking very often, all day. Occasionally for 2 days in a row. When I have to do this, my lower back is always absolutely killing me. I have to lie on the floor for a few minutes for things to cool down, and then when I stand up again the pain returns.
Next week is going to be one of those situations, 2 straight days of standing. My back hurts in anticipation.
My understanding of the situation is that it’s because my posture is incorrect. I arch my spine backwards, putting all of the weight of my torso on my lower back rather than straight down the spine. That being the case, if I stood properly I could probably avoid that pain, but I don’t think I can remember to stand in a way contrary to the way I’ve stood my whole life. Or rather, I’ll probably remember it but I doubt I can keep myself standing awkwardly all day without slipping back into the normal posture.
So, rather than summoning zen-like will, how can I avoid the back pain this time?
I can think of two options: shoe inserts or back braces.
I’ve used “back pain relief” shoe inserts and they dont seem to do much. There could be better things now, I suppose. I dont know much about back braces, but I think they are more to prevent strain from lifting or bending throughout the day. I’d need something to just correct my posture. Are there things like that?
Note: I do not have flat feet, and I don’t have an actual spine problem. I’ve never seen a podiatrist, so I suppose I could need arch support or something.
I totally agree it is your posture and a back brace seems the way to go. There are some shoes that force better posture but getting used to them takes a bit of time. Sports authority has several types of back braces in stock, primarily for weight lifting but the principal is the same.
In the states I’ve worked there’s always been a list of state regulations in the lunch room, one of which is that everyone should be allowed to be seated while working. I look for that because of a herniated disc that makes standing in one spot painful. If they aren’t impressed with laws (which some frankly aren’t, explaining “it’s just our policy not to follow that law”), then you should move more, shifting weight a lot, rocking on your toes, etc.
One cure for back pain I’m using now is to put 2 big soft sponges behind me when I sit. Better than a single cushion because the gap removes pressure on the spine. Same with seat cushions, if you use them. They make them with split seats to take the weight off your tailbone. I got mine at Bed Bath & Beyond.
I’m sure this suggestion will go over like a lead balloon, but strong abs help support your torso and take pressure off your spine. Try to regularly do some sit-ups, crunches, and push-ups (be careful to keep your body in a straight line). Believe me, I hate excercise and hardly ever make myself do it, but it definitely helps.
It can be a quick fix, too, as well as a long term solution. When you’re standing and feel your back start to hurt, flex your abs and hold them for a few seconds, then release, and repeat. It forces you to straighten your back and can help relieve the pain. I do it while sitting and get the same benefit.
I actually have read the ab muscle thing, and think I’m ok there. I work out my abs all the time as part of the diet routine I’m on.
I’m going to try a back brace I can wear under my shirt (I have to be presentable while I’m working, so those big “I work in a warehouse” braces wont work) and getting some better shoe inserts. Maybe stretch breaks every once in a while, too.
Wouldn’t mind an hourly cortisol injection, though.
Back when I worked in a copy room and on my feet most of the day, my doctor advised standing with one foot higher than the other. Like in those Captain Morgan commercials but nowhere near as pronounced.
Too late for next week, but you really ought to see your doc about getting at least an xray, and likely an MRI. Different causes of lower back pain have different treatments and you want to be sure to get it right.
Oh, and make sure nobody gives you a Cortisol injection :eek: If needed, you’ll want Cortisone
Yeah, no cortisol, please. That’s a stress hormone. Gel shoe inserts, shift your weight from side to side often, shoulders back, head up. One foot higher than the other is indeed good; that’s why bars (the beer after work kind) often have that rail to put a foot on. Think 6-8" high. Contract your abs every time you walk through a doorway (to develop the strong core muscle habit). Do try taking a yoga class now and then. It’s good for strengthening all those little muscles we don’t use often and most importantly for you, it develops “body awareness”- it makes you more conscious of what your body is doing moment to moment. Sounds silly but it works. It certainly won’t hurt.
A spa I used to go to had pads behind the desk that the attendants would stand on. They looked like foam or something and were supposed to be good for their backs (they were in slipper-type shows). IANAD but if you could get something between you and the hard floor, beyond shoe inserts, that might help.
I’ve always been told to keep my back straight, don’t lock my knees, lean just slightly forward, and shift my weight slightly from side to side. If you add nice shoe inserts or sneakers, and a surface such as a yoga mat (yoga mats are cheap substitutes for fancier ergonomic industrial standing mats) to stand on, it should help. The main trick is to never be in the exact same position for longer than 5 minutes. Always shift something, even if it’s just a millimeter here and a millimeter there. You can also add a low step-stool to lift a leg at a time to take pressure off, and a slightly higher or lower section to your location. (A thin towel under one half (front or back, not left or right) of your standing area or yoga mat works well.)
I assume from your name that you’re a guy. You’re going to feel weird about my answer, but hey, it works.
Get support pantyhose and a controller garment. You’ll probably have to go to a plus sized women’s clothing store to get them. The controller garment is shaped like a brief, sometimes with legs, and it’s not as constricting or stiff as a girdle. Wear the controller over the hose, and you don’t have to wear any other underwear.
This really WILL help your back pain. However, I take no responsibility for any ribbing you might get in the men’s room.
I used to work in a factory where we’d be on our feet 12 hours or more, standing on concrete. It was brutally hard on the feet and legs and for some, the backs.
They used to have plastic mats to help us out. They looked a little like this.
In a “sort’a tai chi although we’re adapting it” class, I was taught to stand with my legs a bit relaxed, a bit folded at the knees, rather than all straight. It’s a lot less tiring, nowhere near as bad for the back, and you can shuffle position a bit without being as conspicuous as if your legs are completely straight.
It isn’t even particularly noticeable to an onlooker unless you’re wearing tights.
Stand up straight and tall, stomach in, hips pushed forward a little, knees unlocked, put your foot up on something once in a while and the tai chi stance mentioned above.
It took a therapist to point out that I had bad posture when I was standing AND sitting. You may find yourself slouching while driving which I think is worse for your back than anything else.
So…
watch your posture
try some beginners yoga a tape from the library will do
If you have chronic lower back pain then something is probably out of wack so you will want to stretch it. You can buy a neck device at a medical store that will pull on your upper back but you really need to tug things back in shape. I use one of those excecise machines you see advertised that slide back and forth on a track (total gyms). I set it on the lowest height and loop a strap around my feet and attach to the end of the machine. I then rock it back and forth and gently tug on my back. do this for 5 minutes a day for a week and you’ll be amazed. You can buy a used total gym for less than $100 because people tire quickly of trying to fold them and they take up a lot of space. Don’t spend a lot of money on one of these things. DO NOT raise it up as it makes it difficult to get on and off and serves no purpose.
finally, buy a bottle of glucosamine/chondroitin tablets and try those for a couple of weeks.
I’ve done plenty of standing for work, and good, supportive shoes with some sort of cushioning in the sole make all the difference. I don’t mean squishy insoles. I mean firm support and cushioning throughout, like Birkenstocks. (Not that I’m recommending Birkenstocks specifically.)
I also find that a slightly elevated heel helps, so if you can find a pair of mens’ shoes with that built in that don’t look weird, try that.
Those gel inserts won’t convert a bad pair of shoes into a good pair.
Is there any advantage to doing back extension exercises? I have the same bad posture, and try to keep my abs healthy. At the gym, I was doing that awkward back extension machine, and thought that was supposed to help as well.
I hope not, since I always hated that stupid machine…