Work back-friendly: tips & tricks for your health

More and more people in Germany suffer from back problems – which often originate from the workplace. Over 60 percent of adults in Germany state that they have had back pain at least once in the last twelve months – neck problems are similar. Back-friendly working is therefore becoming increasingly important, especially for young people – in this blog post, we show you how to approach it correctly.

Would you like to read more about ergonomics and health at the workplace? Then feel free to visit the Deskspace website under the Blog menu item, where you will find many more exciting short blogs.

Causes & Occurrence of Back Pain at the Workplace

Back pain is among the most common complaints at the office workplace. Poor posture, old chairs, and a lack of movement in daily work quickly affect health, which is most noticeable in the back and in cognitive performance. Therefore, it is important to strive for a correct posture at the workplace early on to prevent these consequences – but what exactly needs to be prevented?

Primarily, back pain comes from a too stooped or hunched posture – for example, when your desk is too low or your chair is too high. If you constantly have to bend down to see your screen or paperwork clearly, then you should consider a different setup for your workplace, because that is not back-friendly working. Even if you only have to look down slightly to see the screen, your neck is already strained.

An uncomfortable or worn-out chair can also be the cause of health problems. If it bounces too much, for example, or allows too much recline, you quickly adopt a comfortable but unhealthy posture for your back. Here, too, you need to ensure you have the right equipment to work in a back-friendly way.

Also interesting: At Deskspace, we have made it our goal to make ergonomic office furniture accessible to all people who sit at a desk daily. With us, you will find height-adjustable desks like the Deskspace Pro or ergonomic sit-stand stools at a fair price. Feel free to visit our website if we have piqued your interest!

Tips for back-friendly working: Regular breaks

Our first, major tip for healthier, more back-friendly working is to take regular work breaks during which you can move around. Even if you have a lot to do and days are getting longer again, you should not neglect this. In this section, we give you small movement tips that will support you in back-friendly working – don't worry, it's not an hour-long, daily walk.

According to experts, you should never sit for more than 45 minutes at a stretch – because even then, your cognitive and thus your work performance decreases, and you can focus less well on your task. At the latest then, it's time to move lightly for at least five minutes; it doesn't have to be a workout.

Examples of how you can integrate this back-friendly way of working into your daily routine:

• Make it a habit to take phone calls or short conference calls during a walk from now on.
• If a colleague comes by to discuss something with you, always talk standing up from now on – coffee tastes better that way too.
• Handle things you need to pass on in the house personally from now on. So don't send an email to the third floor anymore, just walk over briefly.
• Seek longer routes – for example, go to a copier that is a bit further away or don't use the closest coffee machine.
• Make it a habit to do something active in every one of your breaks from now on. Eat your meal during a walk or just go for a run.

These breaks are one of the most important things for back-friendly working and can be easily integrated into the workday. You can also read how to incorporate more movement into your daily life in the Deskspace blogs.

Simple exercises for back-friendly working

In addition to movement breaks, you should also integrate some of the following small exercises into your daily routine. We will now show you a few movement sequences that you can quickly do in a quiet moment to keep your back fit.

Here are some effective exercises for your back that you should integrate into your training outside of work: rowing, pull-ups, back extensions. Strong back muscles are also beneficial at work, as they can withstand greater stresses.

Here's another exercise you can do at work: The so-called shoulder blade roll is a light exercise that keeps your back fit on long days. Sit upright and pull your shoulders back, trying to bring your shoulder blades together. Hold this position for a few seconds and then release. You can repeat this several times to relieve some tension from your back.

Other exercises you can do in the office without equipment also help against back pain at work. Abdominal muscle training helps to take some tension out of your back, as the abdomen then absorbs some of the strain. So feel free to do some sit-ups, a 30-second plank, or crunches whenever you have the opportunity during your workday. However, despite all exercises, it is important that you primarily adopt a healthy sitting position.

A height-adjustable desk like the one from Deskspace can help standing breaks happen almost automatically. At the touch of a button, the desk moves up, and you can simply continue your work standing – so it's a real breeze to stay active. Additionally, with Deskspace products, you benefit from a water-repellent surface and many smart features like a memory function. Feel free to visit our detailed product pages!

As you can see, it is actually not a big deal to get used to back-friendly working. Even small changes in your daily routine and a shift in ingrained habits can achieve a lot. With this guide, you have a critical foundation upon which you can build your sustainable & healthy workplace.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our ergonomic office furniture, the Deskspace customer service is always at your disposal.