Let’s face it, we’ve all had our fair share of back aches, especially after long workout sessions or hours hunched over a desk. I used to think back pain was something only inactive or older people have to deal with, but I was wrong. In the following article, I will tell how it wasn’t the physical exercises, but the prolonged editing sessions that led to my lower back issues. I’ll share how I managed to overcome my back pain and offer tips on how you can do the same!
The Wake-Up Call: When Back Pain Became A Reality
To tell you the whole story we have to get back to 2021. At this time I worked on our new mobility program, but it was not the filming of the exercises that made my back pain occur, it was the editing. My whole life I thought back pain was something for old or unfit people and that it would never happen to me. I mean come on, I was always active, mobile and strong, so why should I even think about back pain at all?
The Mobility program kinda forced me to sit at my desk for about 8-10 hours a day 6-7 days a week and to relax after that I didn’t do anything active.
I actually made it worse by sitting in the same chair and playing round after round with the boys.
At that time I also had to commute for about 2 hours a day which didn’t make it better.
Neglecting My Own Training
So all in all I spend about 12-14 hours sitting on most days of the week for several months straight. Now this would be half as bad if I had still done my regular training, but I kinda reduced and sometimes even skipped my training sessions.
Kinda ironic when you think about it I neglected my own mobility training while I was busy working on a mobility program that is designed to relieve back pain.
Sometimes You Need To Look For Help
The good news is that this kind of back pain can be combated with a little bit of self-care.
However in some cases like when you have a bulged or herniated disc, it’s necessary to get professional help.
So make sure to contact your doctor when back pain:
- Lasts longer than a few weeks.
- Is severe and doesn’t improve with rest.
- Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee.
- Causes weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs.
Getting Back on Track
Luckily my back problems were not that severe. To get rid of it, I just had to make a few simple adjustments starting with increasing my training pensum again. So, instead of just 1-2 strength training sessions a week, I got back to 3-4.
In addition I did 15-20 minutes of mobility training every day before I went to bed and sometimes I also did my mobility training as a warm up or cool down around my regular strength training.
Small Changes, Big Difference!
Ok so I got back to my regular training frequency but besides that I also added more work breaks.
So about every hour I got up and moved around a bit. Often I walked to the kitchen to get some water.
I know that this is easier said than done, because sometimes you simply don’t want to break your workflow. To still make it work, set a timer and force yourself to stand up if necessary.
Changing How I Sit
The last fix I made was to change my sitting position way more frequently. In my experience this is a very underrated tip for fixing back pain, because it’s not only the sitting itself but the repetitive and long lasting positions that make things worse for your lower back.
So instead of aiming for perfect posture all the time, simply move and change your sitting position frequently. You can even slouch or do the weirdest things as long as you don’t force yourself into 1 fixed position for too long.
Staying Active at Your Desk
Of course it’s also possible to do some mobility work right at your desk. My favorite and most convenient exercise for the lower back is the sitting knee tuck.
This works so well because it kinda stretches your lower back muscles and with that releases some tension from this area.
It can also be done in various positions on the floor and fits perfectly in every cool down or mobility routine.
More Than Just the Lower Back
Besides the sitting knee tuck there are plenty of other exercises you can do right at your desk. Some of them not only help with lower back but also neck pain and tight muscles in general.
I know that working out at your desk can be a bit strange at first, but just 3-5 minutes a day can contribute to a pain free lower back and that alone should at least make it worth trying.
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach
Ok summarized: Almost everyone can experience back pain, but if you do very repetitive work and don’t do something to counteract this negative behavior, you are more likely to suffer from it. So do your strength and mobility work, change your sitting position more frequently and move more in general.
One last important tip: Working out alone won’t save you from lower back pain and can even be the reason for it. Workout related lower back problems often occur when you add too much load that you can’t stabilize or when you don’t even know how to do the exercise correctly.
Watch the video to learn more about How I Fixed My Lower Back Pain (And How You Can Do It Too!)
Follow us for more!
This article really hit home! I also spend long hours at my desk and started feeling that same lower back stiffness. The reminder to take short breaks and change sitting positions frequently is so simple yet so effective. Thanks for sharing your journey — definitely going to try the sitting knee tuck exercise!
https://swadhabiotech.com/