Back Pain From Sitting

Do you get back pain from sitting too long? If so, you’re not alone. Many people experience stiffness and discomfort, especially in the lower back, after spending hours sitting at a desk, on the couch, or driving.

 I saw a reel yesterday that showed a man sitting at his desk working on his computer. The first clip says getting up out of your chair at 20-30: he turns his chair, jumps out and bounds out of the room. Aged 30 to 40: he turns his chair and gets up with ease and walks away briskly. 40 to 50: he turns and gets up a bit more slowly, stretches a bit and then walks away. At 50-55, the standing up is a little more stiff and slow but just takes a second and he walks away.  At 56+ it looks like torture to get up; he’s bent over somewhat, slowly lengthens up, to and stiffly walks away.  

While he may be exaggerating, I get it. The older I get, the more I notice that sitting for long periods leads to stiffness and soreness in my lower back. Fortunately, I can get rid of the pain through mobility work and stretching – my preference being Pilates.  

Of course, there are times when back pain is more than simply being tight caused by too much sitting, aging, and/or poor posture. We won’t go into these situations in this blog but I will say that they too can be helped with Pilates. Only in these situations, we have to pay closer attention to the client and private sessions might be better suited to those clients.

It Doesn’t Take Long to Feel Better

It’s pretty amazing to see how quickly some people start to feel better once they give Pilates a try. I had one client whose husband complained of back pain for months on end. His back pain was a result of his job where he sat for long periods at his desk or travelling, and then spending long days standing at tradeshows. She finally convinced him to try three sessions of Pilates, despite his reluctance. 

After only two sessions he was raving about how great he was feeling! I continued to train both him and his wife for a long time, and he’d always choose Pilates over strength training if given the choice. They’ve moved away now, but he still does Pilates, and when he’s back in town he’ll often pop in for a class. 

The Importance of Movement to Prevent Back Pain

As people get older, their activity levels tend to decrease. This means getting more stiff and tight in places you didn’t when you were younger. This is pretty much a case of “use it or lose it”. I think about how I used to always sit on the floor to watch tv or when visiting friends. People would offer me a chair but I was happier on the ground. Maybe I should go back to that! 

Regular movement keeps the joints lubricated. Your muscles and fascia need to stay hydrated (drink lots of water!), and stretching and moving will help slow down the process of stiffening up. Think of your body as a bike. If you leave it sitting unused in the garage for a long period of time and then try to ride it, it won’t be in perfect condition. The tires might be low on air, the chain dry and rusty, and other parts may be sticky or squeaky. Just like you need to maintain your bike, you need to take care of your body to keep it moving smoothly. 

How Pilates Helps Back Pain From Sitting

Back pain from sitting is caused in the same way. You’re in one position for long periods of time, not rotating your body, maybe slouching, and your disc may be compressed. Pilates is an excellent way to not only counteract these things, but to help you get stronger to prevent the negative side effects from happening in the first place. 

Pilates exercises focus on moving from your center, the spine. You work on lengthening the spine and breathing full breaths. You fold your legs in close to your torso and then lengthen out long. You stretch and bend in various ways, helping to loosen things up while also strengthening the body. The springs of the equipment, like the reformer, help to increase the stretching and strengthening, leaving you feeling lighter and taller after every session. 

On a recent holiday, I attended a Pilates class at a local studio. After the session, I felt amazing, ike I was lifted up out of my seat by holding myself taller with the strength of my core. 

Pilates is an incredible way to move your body, stretch tight muscles, and strengthen the core. It helps you combat back pain from sitting (or just living life!) by systematically working through movements that target stiffness and weakness. Whether you’re new to Pilates or have been practicing for years, it’s an excellent tool for maintaining mobility and feeling great.