Why does my lower back hurt after sitting all day?
If you spend most of your working day at a desk, you'll know that lower back pain after sitting all day is very common – but why does it happen?
In this blog, we’ll look into why sitting for long periods of time can cause your lower back to hurt, factors that make it worse, and how symptoms can be relieved at home and through specialist chiropractic care.
Can sitting for too long cause lower back pain?
Stiffness and pain from sitting all day aren't always caused by bad posture, which is what most people associate them with. Even with perfect posture, the real issue is how long you go without moving.
We've all heard the phrase "motion is lotion", and it's true. Movement, even gentle movement, keeps your joints lubricated, your muscles warm and your blood flowing, and it stops stiffness from setting in.
When it comes to sitting, it's not always the posture – it's the time. Sitting isn't inherently bad for your back. Trouble starts when we spend too long doing any one thing without changing position, whether that's desk work, driving, lounging on the sofa or sometimes even sleeping too much.
Why does my lower back hurt more after sitting?
The reason your lower back may hurt more after sitting for a long period of time can be down to a combination of many factors: time, tissue fatigue, poor workstation set-up, repetitive habits, history of injury, stress, poor exercise, diet and sleep habits, as well as many others.
Let's explore these in more detail:
Time
You’ve probably noticed that after sitting at a desk for a few minutes, you’re probably able to spring right back up, but after a full work day hunched over a laptop, everything feels tight in your lower back.
Tissue fatigue
If muscles are working for a long period of time in one position to hold you upright, they will start to tire and cause aching. In contrast to this, other muscles and tissues will be pulled tight and stretched when you are sitting, and take some time to get comfortable again with movement (think of an overstretched elastic band recoiling back to shape - it takes time).
Poor workstation
This is a very common problem, and it plays a very big role in discomfort. I can’t begin to tell you the number of patients who tell me they work from home, only to go on to confess to spending days working at the kitchen table, the sofa, or even from bed.
Top tip: A good ergonomic chair and desk will help prevent lower back pain.
Repetitive habits
Always crossing one leg under the other? Always lean on one elbow? Always sitting on your feet? Over time these bad “micro habits” will start to affect your tissues in the long term and contribute to further pain and discomfort not only in your back, but in other areas of your body.
History of injury
If you suffered a sporting injury, a car accident, had complications with pregnancy, or even pulled a muscle reaching for a cup of tea, there is a higher chance you will suffer pain in this area again, meaning you’re more prone to pain and stiffness after sitting all day.
So it’s even more important for you to make sure you’re taking regular breaks and have a good workstation set up.
Stress
Stress affects the body in so many ways - more ways than you might think. Not only are you more likely to be carrying tension in muscles and joints, causing pain and headaches, but chronic stress levels lead to a disruption in hormones, resulting in chronic low-grade inflammation throughout the body and the brain.
Poor exercise
The body responds to how it is used. Exercise keeps muscles pumping, blood moving, and puts load through bones and joints to keep them strong, but if the body isn’t used, these structures start to become weak and stiffness sets in.
Regular movement breaks are important if you’re sitting for a long period of time, but a variety of regular exercise (cardiovascular and resistance or strength training) is even more important for body-wide health and future-proofing.
Diet
If your body isn’t fueled well, it won’t perform or heal well. A diet high in refined sugars and ultra-processed food contributes to low-level, body-wide inflammation, resulting in aches and pains. Whereas a diet low in Omega-3 fatty acids and inadequate hydration will affect the synovial fluid that fills and lubricates your joints, leaving them “creaky” and stiff.
Top tip: A well-balanced diet will help keep all these symptoms at bay.
Sleep
Poor sleeping positions or poor sleep in general will also cause your muscles and joints to become achy. Sleeping on your front can cause lower back pain due to the compression on the joints in your pelvis, and sleeping with the neck twisted to one side will inevitably contribute to tightness in the neck.
Deep sleep is also your body’s chance to heal from any damage or strain through the day, so if you’re repetitively having short, broken or poor sleep, your body will be missing out on this restorative sleep, further adding to the stiffness you’re feeling from tired muscles.
How to relieve lower back pain from sitting
There are lots of small, easy changes you can make to help relieve lower back pain from sitting all day – it doesn't have to be complicated.
Change position regularly
Even if you have “perfect” posture all day, you will inevitably suffer some discomfort. The trick is to break this up as much as possible by doing things such as:
Changing your seating position
Switching to a different desk if you can
Alternating your chair with a Swiss ball
Using a standing desk and walking pad if you’re able to
Just 10-15 minutes of each, every few hours, is enough to break the cycle.
Take regular breaks
Nothing works quite as well as movement. Take a short walk, grab yourself a drink, take the steps rather than the lift, or walk across the office to speak to a colleague rather than messaging them.
Movement breaks are brilliant for back pain - and they don’t take up too much time.
Adjust your desk
The desk you work at for the longest amount of time should have a proper set-up, a DSE if possible, but if not, here are our top tips for desk posture:
Keep your monitor roughly in front of you rather than repeatedly turning your head or body
Position your keyboard and mouse somewhere you can comfortably reach them
Adjust your chair so your feet feel supported
Sit at a height that allows you to work without constantly reaching upwards or forwards
How can we help relieve lower back pain?
Lower back pain is one of the most common problems we see at Cardiff Chiropractic Clinic, so we’re well equipped to help you.
We start your appointment by talking through your symptoms, taking a detailed history to learn how long you've had them, what seems to aggravate or relieve them and whether there are any reasons why further medical investigation might be appropriate.
Following this, we carry out a physical assessment to better understand how your back is moving and what may be contributing to your symptoms. Once we are familiar with your individual case, we put together a treatment plan, bespoke to you.
We take the time to go through this with you and explain why the issue has come about, including anatomical models and diagrams to help explain the structures that are causing your lower back pain.
We pride ourselves on taking time with our patients to learn your specific case and tailor treatment accordingly. Our aim isn’t just to remove pain, but to learn what your goals are and how we can help you achieve them, whether it’s being able to sit at a desk for as long as possible, to work pain-free, to obtain a certain sporting goal, or simply just walk around the park without discomfort.
If you're experiencing persistent or recurring lower back pain and would like an assessment, you can book an appointment or contact our team to find out whether chiropractic care may be appropriate for you.
Sources:
Kett AR, Milani TL, Sichting F. Sitting for Too Long, Moving Too Little: Regular Muscle Contractions Can Reduce Muscle Stiffness During Prolonged Periods of Chair-Sitting. Front Sports Act Living. 2021 Nov 3;3:760533. doi: 10.3389/ fspor.2021.760533. PMID: 34805980; PMCID: PMC8595117.
Tong RL, Kahn UN, Grafe LA, Hitti FL, Fried NT, Corbett BF. Stress circuitry: mechanisms behind nervous and immune system communication that influen behaviour. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 29;14:1240783. doi: 10.3389/ fpsyt.2023.1240783. PMID: 37706039; PMCID: PMC10495591.
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