Did you know that staying in one position for too long can contribute to back pain?

While many Central Oregonians have already embraced an active lifestyle, there are still plenty of hours of sitting behind the desk which can contribute to sciatica.

People are spending more and more time slouching over computers and hand-held electronics. Any type of desk work over time can lead to poor posture, and prolonged sitting can cause weakness, loss of muscle strength and hours of additional strain on the body. If not corrected, this can eventually transition into serious degeneration, arthritis, sciatica, and permanent changes.

Although we cannot ditch the desk and repetitive routines, we can change our daily habits to help guide our body to be more naturally stabilized and supported.

Just like training for a marathon, it takes time to recondition the body. But here is a simple way to get started:

Evaluate your work station to lessen your back pain!

Make sure your wrists are not being bent up or down or straining to reach the keyboard.
Forearms should be on equal height with your fingers on your keyboard to avoid reaching up or downwards.
Keep elbows at a 90 degree angle for proper desk ergonomics.
Your shoulders should be relaxed down and back while sitting.
Avoid compressing the chest and rounding the shoulders.
Have the monitor straight forward, the top at eye level without having to turn your head.
Avoid crossing your legs while sitting, which would put pressure on one side of the lower back.

Want more information? Contact Dr. Quint of Active Motion Chiropractic in Bend, Oregon to help relieve your sciatica and improve your posture with simple exercises and retraining advice.