5 Exercises to Reduce Back Pain from Prolonged Sitting!
Many of us spend a prolonged amount of time sitting at our computers which can lead to back pain! Below you’ll find 5 exercises that are going to fully support your body and radically improve your back pain.
Why does prolonged sitting lead to back pain?
Why is this pain happening in the first place? During prolonged sitting, your pelvis tucks under, and your back rounds. This leaves you in a slumped position. And our bodies really don’t like to be stagnant. (P.S. Check out my post about work-from-home postures that keep you pain-free!)
So if you catch yourself slumped over the computer or phone, do yourself a favor and take yourself out of the position! Best case scenario you’re able to do some of these exercises at the moment, but if your workplace doesn’t support that (goodbye, quarantine!) you’ll now have the tools to come home and practice these exercises.
Roll out your mat and let’s get started!
Follow along with the video or read more below!
1. Prone press-ups
Come to lie down on your belly. Place your hands underneath the shoulders and be sure to pull the shoulders back and away from the ears. Begin to engage the arms, using them to assist the movement, and extend all the way from the upper back and between the shoulder blades. Continue to extend as you push yourself up. As soon as you feel the lower back starting to work you’re going to come right back down.
This movement isn’t about simply pressing up (it should feel different than a push up.) You want to keep your hip bones pressing down into the floor and you’re going to engage the entire back in this press up. Think about the energy exchange being 50% arms, 50% back. You’re also going to be engaging the glutes just a bit here. Keep the motion slow and controlled!
What we’re accomplishing with this movement is extending the back in an opposite direction from where we are when we’re sitting in that slumped over – or even just stagnant – position.
Do about 10 of these.
2. Prone W’s
This is a great one to keep the upper body and upper back mobile for extension. Remember: when we’re hunched over in positions we’re losing mobility!
Take your gaze straight down to the mat. This time you’re going to keep the tops of your feet pressing into the ground. Extend the arms forward. Lift the arms up, keeping them straight as possible, and then pull the arms back by engaging the shoulder blades. Think about the shoulder blades pulling away from the ears.
Elongate the neck. Pinching behind the armpits. Pulling the energy back and down. Your chest will just slightly peel off the floor. Then, to release, extend the arms forward and come back down to the mat. Take these movements nice and slow. Really try to get your thumbs behind the ears!
Do about 10 of these Prone W’s.
3. Rotations
When we’re rounded and slouched not only do we lose extension but what’s coupled with extension? Rotation. So it’s necessary to work some rotational movements into this exercise series.
Come onto all fours in a table top position. If you have some wrist issues you can always fold up your mat and then place the palm on the fold so you don’t have as much extension on the wrist.
From here, press down through your anchored hand and breathe in as you lift the opposite arm up and reach open to the side. Extend and open through the chest. Then you’re going to exhale as you twist, bringing the lifted arm down and underneath and through the midline of the body- accessing a nice rotation. Inhale as you open back up, pressing through the anchored hand for stability, and repeat this sequence about 5 times on each side.
What’s really nice about this movement is that it’s both active and passive. It’s activated as you reach and twist and passive as you relax at the end of the twist while you stretch. Make sure you remember to keep breathing and connect your breath to movement for optimal rotation and extension.
4. Standing hamstring stretch
Come to stand for this hamstring stretch. Usually when we’re sitting in a slouched position our hip bones are scooping underneath us. So now we’re going to take the hip bones and align them in the opposite direction. Plus, we’re going to get a nice hamstring stretch in. Hamstrings tend to be chronically tight for most people so it’s a good one to get in whenever you can!
From standing, think about driving the hip bones down into the thighs as you push your glutes back. If you bring your gaze up slightly that’ll even bring more extension through the back. Keep the knees slightly bent but not locked. Don’t think that you’re bending into a squat, either. Just a slight bend here. The more that you think of pushing the hip bones into the thighs and pulling that glute back, the greater that stretch is going to feel.
Do as many of these as feels good to you and feel free to hang out in the stretch as long as you like!
5. Glute activation
The last thing we’re going to get into with this series is glute activation. After sitting on them for a prolonged amount of time it’s a really good idea to get some movement and engagement going in the glutes.
From our standing position we’re going to step one foot back into a small lunge. From this position, think about squeezing the glutes and tucking the tailbone under as much as possible. Lift into the spine and squeeze the heck out of those glutes! Reach your active arm up (this is the arm on the same side as the foot which is stepping back) and find as much extension as possible, then twist towards that active side body. Then take that lifted arm and lean towards the opposite direction. And breeeathe into that entire stretched side body.
Take about 3 to 5 breaths and then release. Do the same action one more time and then switch sides. Just think: tuck the tailbone, squeeze the glutes, find length in the stretch, and breathe.
Exercises to reduce back pain from sitting: The results
After following this activation exercise sequence you should be feeling so much more open and expansive within the entire body! The upper back is open and the tension should be lifted from the lower back after having opened up the hip flexors and hamstrings. Say goodbye to your back pain from prolonged sitting during the workday!
If you love what you’re learning and want to find more accessible routines to continue your mobility journey, check out The Optimal Body membership!
The Optimal Body is a month-to-month program that will take your mobility, flexibility, strength, and stamina to a whole new level.
Check out what others are saying about The Optimal Body and join the community. We can’t wait to get moving with you!
I also offer an amazing FREE mobility challenge!
You’ll receive 25-minute guided mobility videos, HIIT workouts, recipes, and more for 7 days. This is a great way to get started prioritizing your body, mobility, and health — and it’s free!
