According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 80% of adults in America suffer from lower back pain at some point in their life. The anatomy of the human back is such that it supports the entire weight of the torso and the rest of the upper body. The back consists of vertebral discs, ligaments, tendons, and 31 pairs of nerves. It is a rather complex geography of nerves and tendons and a lot can go wrong with it.

When you stand for extended periods of time, the spine is put under pressure and the lower back muscles are tightened. This continuous contraction results in back spasms and aggravates inflammation in the lower back.

If you work in the service industry or are in a line of work that requires standing for hours at the end, you might be inching towards irreparable stress injuries in your back.

Why Does Standing for Long Hours Cause Back Pain?

Broadly speaking, the postural stress that occurs from standing for long hours is the primary cause of back pain. Your spine deals with an increased amount of stress for long stretches, this, in turn, causes the surrounding muscles to tighten and spasm, ultimately causing pain.

Here are some more specific reasons for back pain -

1. Stretched ligaments causing a sprain

2. Overworked muscles, burning like sensation from the lactic acid accumulation

3. Increased pressure on nerves narrowing the spinal cavity, also known as spinal stenosis

4. Vertebral discs wear down, irritating surrounding nerves, also known as degenerative disc disease

How to Prevent Back Pain When Standing All Day?

For workers in the service industry and other lines of work that require long hours of standing, we came up with this little list of preventive measures against back pain.

1. Don’t stand in one posture for too long. Move around a bit to improve blood circulation in your spine. Better blood circulation also relieves muscle fatigue.

2. Take frequent breaks and sit down for a few minutes to help with fatigue and alleviate the discomfort in your spine.

3. The best way to take care of your spine is to maintain a good posture. Focus your weight on the balls of your feet and keep your knees slightly bent. Do not slouch, straighten your spine and pull your shoulders back. Let your arms hang to the side and don’t let your head lol.

4. You should also shift your weight from the balls to the toes, or from one foot to the other.

5. If you have a support to lean against, lean on it from time to time.

6. Find intervals to stretch and relieve muscle strains.

Quick Exercises to Curb Back Pain That You Can Do at Work

Take a few minutes to yourself every couple of hours to do a few stretching exercises. The following simple stretches might be helpful -

1. Place your feet and shoulders in the same plane and relax your core

2. Bend your knees slightly, hold and straighten again

3. Place your hands on your thighs and engage your core

4. Round your back and roll your shoulders

5. Roll your shoulders back and arch. Open up the chest and hold for a while. Relax after a minute.

Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers follow an interdisciplinary approach to pain management. Part of why we are so successful at relieving pain is our exhaustive evaluation that includes physical, mental, and physiological factors. We take away your discomfort and ease you into a pain-free life. Our treatments are interventional and minimally invasive for the utmost comfort of our patients.

To book an appointment with us find the contact us section at the bottom of our page or simply call us at (405) 751-0011.

**Disclaimer: These tips are not advised or suggested by doctors. The products that are promoted here are not FDA CERTIFIED to treat, cure or prevent any disease.