Lower back pain is one of the most common things people notice when they spend the day at a desk, and it can catch you off guard when you are young and otherwise active, as though desk work should not be enough to bring it on. It is really common though, and it is rarely a sign anything is wrong. Backs simply do not love being held still for hours, and there is a lot you can do to feel more comfortable.

Why sitting winds it up

Your back is built to move, and sitting for long stretches asks it to do the one thing it likes least, stay in a single position under a steady, low load. Over a few hours that can leave the muscles around your lower back feeling tight, tired or achy. This is your back reacting to being still, not being damaged, which is why moving little and often tends to help so much.

Move little and often

The single most useful habit is breaking up the sitting. You do not need a full stretch routine, just regular changes of position. You could stand up every half hour, walk to refill your water, or take calls on your feet. A simple one to try at your desk is a slow, gentle backbend, standing up, hands on your lower back, and easing yourself backwards a small way before coming back to standing. Repeat that a few times whenever your back feels stiff.

Feel more supported while you sit

How you are set up makes a real difference to the load your back carries. Sitting right back into your chair rather than perching forward lets the chair take some of the work, and a cushion or rolled towel behind your lower back helps fill the gap so it feels more supported. Keeping your feet flat, on the floor or on something solid, gives your lower half a stable base. Small changes here lower the background strain your back is quietly holding all day.

Keep moving outside work too

Because you are active, the good news is that movement is exactly what tends to help. You do not need to stop the things you enjoy. Gentle, regular movement, walking, an easy stretch, keeping up activity you like at a comfortable level, generally helps a grumbling back settle faster than resting it completely. If you would like a guided stretch to follow, VIDA has a short video you can do at your own pace.

If things are not shifting

Most lower back pain eases within a few weeks as you keep moving and break up the sitting. If yours is not settling over that sort of timeframe, or it is getting in the way more than it was, it is worth speaking to your GP so you can get a clearer picture. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how things are shifting in the meantime.

A few things to try

• Break up long sits with movement every half hour.
• Try a few slow standing backbends when your back feels stiff.
• Sit back into your chair with support behind your lower back.
• Keep your feet flat on a solid base.
• Keep up gentle activity rather than resting completely.

A sore back from sitting is common and usually settles, and staying active works in your favour here rather than against you. Little and often is the theme, both at your desk and away from it.

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