Modern life has become so complicated yet so simple. Everything is at ease yet stressful. From the office’s long stressful hours and late home arrivals, you can now work from the comfort of your own space, timings, priorities, etc. However, for some, these relaxing work times cause more bad than good to their health.
In the comfort of your home, you tend to sit in an uncomfortable position that can ruin your posture and face plenty of discomfort and pain. Some work-from-home individuals are often found questioning whether can sitting cause back pain as they experience it more than other people.
Whether you’re working from home with a slouching motion, sitting at school or hunching over position; you’re at risk of back pain! This article will be an insight into whether can sitting cause back pain and what measures you should use to treat it. Here’s what you’ll get to know in this article;
- What is Back Pain?
- Causes of Muscle Spasms in the Back
- Bad Posture
- Inactivity
- Strain
- Herniated Disc
- Weak Abdominal Muscles
- How Can You Treat Your Back Muscle Spasms and Pain?
- Cold Therapy
- Heat Therapy
- Exercise
- Position Changing
- Back Pain Relief Belt
What is Back Pain?
Back pain is a common disorder many of us may experience at some point in life. According to research, around 568.4 million people are facing back pain issues globally. It can be a pinching sensation in your lower back, striking hard pain in the upper back, or any average discomfort in the medium back. [1, 2 ]
The reasons for back pain can vary such as lifestyle factors, underlying back conditions, exercise, spine misalignment, and so many others. You’ll be happy to hear that in some situations it is not a significant issue; it can be a result of normal back muscle spasms.
Causes of Muscle Spasms in the Back
There could be many reasons that could cause muscle spasms in the back. Some back spasms causes are defined below;
Bad Posture
A bad or incorrect posture is one of the primary reasons behind what causes muscle spasms in the back. That slouchy back while you’re watching Netflix, an uncomfortable laying position during your sleep, or an incorrect bending position to pick up something can stress your muscles, tighten them, and cause muscle spasms.
According to research, for people who are facing chronic back pain, postural awareness can be a pain relief approach for them. [3 ]
Inactivity
Sedentary lifestyles have ruined modern-age people–making them inactive, boring, introverted, unhealthy, and gaining excess weight. Inactivity such as long sitting hours can be a major factor behind your back muscle cramps. When your muscles aren’t in use, they become stiff and addicted to staying in one position and not moving. Even the slightest movement of your stiff muscles can cause muscle cramps in the back and make you feel extreme cramping pain.
Strain
Muscle strain is an injury to the muscle. It is one of the most common back muscle spasm causes and is especially common in those who work out a lot. They overexercise and injure their muscles or tendons–building muscle strains. Although muscle spasms don’t sound like a serious condition, they can lead to muscle tears if not treated, making you feel intense muscle spasms and cramping.
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc is a condition of your spine in which one of your vertebrae move out of its original location in a bending motion, tilting motion, or moving out abnormally. That misaligned herniated disc can affect the surrounding nerves and muscles, making you feel muscle spasms. It can happen by lifting something heavy or sitting for prolonged hours, especially in an abnormal position. 4
Weak Abdominal Muscles
Weak abdominal muscles are a great risk factor for what causes back muscle spasms because they can increase your risk of getting an injury. When your abdominal muscles are vulnerable and support less stability during spinal motion periods, such as long sitting periods, lifting things, and even walking can make your muscles spasm.
How Can You Treat Your Back Muscle Spasms and Pain?
Back pain has been with humans since with start of time. Many remedies and treatment options are now available that can assist in managing back pain and relieving muscle spasms. There following are some treatment options that you can use to cure your back pain.
Cold Therapy
According to research, cold therapy can provide physiological effects such as reduced back pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms. You can cure back pain by applying ice packs to your sore area and prevent inflammation. Apply and remove the ice pack after 25 to 30 minutes, and you’ll notice pain relieved and spasms eased. [5]
Heat Therapy
Heat relaxes the muscles, tissues, and tendons by supporting blood circulating in the targeted area. You can apply a heat pack or try a hot water bottle to deliver heat therapy to your muscle spasm area. Research also recommends using heat therapy as it is an effective, safe, easy-to-use, and cost-effective non-pharmacological treatment option for back pain and back muscle spasms. [6]
Exercise
Although it feels impossible to move even a bit even if you’re facing muscle spasms and cramps, however, exercise and appropriate physical activity can ease your muscles. The exercise involves continuous movements that will make your muscles move, be flexible and lose the tightness that was developed by inactivity. You can perform mild exercises such as resistance straps, walking, or stretches to relax your muscles.
Position Changing
Another great approach to avoid building muscle spasms is changing your position frequently. For instance, if you’re working long hours, change your position every 15 minutes, so your muscles don’t stay inactive and in the same abnormal position for long periods. You can try having a standing desk specifically designed for people who have back pain.
Back Pain Relief Belt
We all have read about the back support belts that strengthen your core and provide strength for spinal movements. However, the idea of relieving muscle spasms with back belts is relatively used. There are some belts that target the tightened muscles to relax them and ease the pain.
SUPMOGO RecoveryFlex System Belt is one of the most popular choices regarding back pain relief pain. This belt supports EMS technology that supplies safe and slight currents to your muscles to ease them, loosen them, and increase flexibility. You can wear this belt when you’re sitting or performing any spinal movements. Also, SUPMOGO features Smart Remote App that lets you control the time period and currents applied on your back by the belt; you can increase or decrease it according to your spasm condition.
Final Words!
Many human studies, surveys, and observations support the fact that sitting can cause back pain and muscle spasms. There are plenty of causes of muscle spasms in back supported by sitting, such as bad posture, herniated discs, weak abdominal muscles, muscle strain, and inactivity.
However, every problem comes with a solution! And SUPMOGO is the ultimate answer to all of your back pain and spasm problems. Try out this advanced and productive back pain relief belt and find longing relief!
1. Casiano, V. E., Dydyk, A. M., & Varacallo, M. (2019). Back pain.
2. Chen, S., Chen, M., Wu, X., Lin, S., Tao, C., Cao, H., … & Xiao, G. (2022). Global, regional and national burden of low back pain 1990–2019: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study 2019. Journal of orthopaedic translation, 32, 49-58.
3. Cramer, H., Mehling, W. E., Saha, F. J., Dobos, G., & Lauche, R. (2018). Postural awareness and its relation to pain: validation of an innovative instrument measuring awareness of body posture in patients with chronic pain. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 19(1), 1-10.
4. Dydyk, A. M., & Mesfin, F. B. (2017). Disc herniation.
5. Malanga, G. A., Yan, N., & Stark, J. (2015). Mechanisms and efficacy of heat and cold therapies for musculoskeletal injury. Postgraduate medicine, 127(1), 57-65.6. Freiwald, J., Magni, A., Fanlo-Mazas, P., Paulino, E., Sequeira de Medeiros, L., Moretti, B., … & Solarino, G. (2021). A role for superficial heat therapy in the management of non-specific, mild-to-moderate low back pain in current clinical practice: A narrative review. Life, 11(8), 780.
