Back Pain from Lying Flat on an Office Chair

Back pain from lying flat on an office chair can be alleviated through methods such as adjusting sitting posture, applying heat and massage, engaging in moderate exercise, using medication, and undergoing physical therapy, while also paying attention to daily prevention.

Adjusting Sitting Posture

Maintaining an incorrect sitting posture for a long time can lead to tension in the lumbar muscles and cause pain. It is recommended to choose a chair with a backrest and place a soft pillow at the waist to maintain the physiological curvature. Avoid crossing your legs or leaning forward. Get up and move around for 1 - 2 minutes every 30 minutes of sitting, performing lumbar rotation and stretching exercises. A footrest can be used during office work to reduce lumbar pressure. If using a hard office chair, sit fully on the seat, keep your back lightly against the chair back, keep your feet flat on the ground, and have your hips and knees at a 90-degree angle. You can also roll a towel into a cylindrical shape and place it at the lumbar dimple to fit the physiological curvature of the lumbar spine and share the muscle pressure.

Heat Application and Massage

Apply a hot towel at around 40°C to the waist for 15 minutes, twice a day, to promote local blood circulation. When massaging, use the base of the palm to push and rub along the erector spinae muscles on both sides of the spine from top to bottom, and use the thumb to press on the Shenshu and Yaoyangguan acupoints. Be careful not to press directly on the spine. Heat application is prohibited during the acute pain phase. You can also choose external plasters containing menthol, such as Shangshi Zhitong Gao, to assist in relief.

Moderate Exercise

Low-impact exercises such as swimming, the Superman exercise, and the five-point support exercise are recommended. The breaststroke in swimming puts less load on the waist, and it is advisable to swim for 30 minutes each time, three times a week. For the plank exercise, keep your body in a straight line and gradually increase the duration starting from 30 seconds. Avoid sudden twisting or weight-bearing training. After exercise, perform lumbar stretching to prevent muscle spasms. You can also try the seated ball-holding stretching exercise: sit on the front half of the chair, keep your feet flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart, extend your hands forward as if holding a large ball, gently tuck your chin in, slowly arch your back to open the shoulder blades to the sides, gently tuck in your abdomen at the same time, hold for 20 - 30 seconds, breathe normally, and repeat 3 - 5 times.

Medication and Physical Therapy

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as celecoxib capsules can relieve aseptic inflammation, and muscle relaxants such as eperisone hydrochloride tablets can improve muscle spasms. Patients with osteoporosis need to take anti-resorptive drugs such as alendronate sodium tablets in combination. When using external preparations such as Xiaotong Tie Gao, avoid applying them to broken skin. All medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor. Physical therapy methods such as ultrashort wave therapy, infrared irradiation, traction therapy, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy also have certain effects. During treatment, rehabilitation training should be carried out to strengthen the core muscle groups.