Ergonomic on a Budget

Safeguarding your back doesn't have to break the bank. How to make your office and life back-friendly and ease the pain.

By Orli Van Mourik, published on August 25, 2006 - last reviewed on January 03, 2007

America is in the throes of a silent epidemic, says Pennsylvania Osteopath Andrew Kirschner, an epidemic of pain. Half of the U.S. population complains of chronic back problems; and in recent years back injuries have become the leading cause of missed work and disability claims among workers. What's behind this surge in back pain? Your behind. Or, more specifically, the amount of time you spend on it.

Over the past 30 years, we have grown increasingly sedentary. Many of us spend 8, 10, even 12 hours a day parked in front of a computer. And leaving work doesn't remedy the problem. More Americans are spending hours commuting to and from their jobs. And thanks to the advent of the Internet and satellite television, a growing number is glued to the couch during leisure as well. "In terms of the geometry of your spine, sitting is probably the worst thing you can do." Kirschner says, "A sedentary lifestyle often leads to obesity, poor muscle tone, and all the fun things that go along with that." Fun things like pinched nerves, bulging discs, and sciatica—a constellation of symptoms caused by the compression of nerves in the lower back.

The first thing to do is get off the couch, says Kirschner, author of Back Together, a how-to guide for osteopathy techniques. Don't fritter away free time shopping on Amazon, get up and go to the mall; opt for the stairs instead of the escalator; and eschew the drive-thru. When it comes to your body, the old adage "use it or lose it" holds true. But during working hours we have fewer options. For many of us, earning a paycheck entails spending long stretches of time anchored to our desks. "The business culture is only going to change so much," Kirschner says, "so you have to find ways to counteract the impact." The easiest way to do that, he says, is to go ergonomic.

Those of us who aren't sitting in the executive's chair at a Fortune 500 company may find this daunting. The idea of going ergonomic evokes images of $500 swivel chairs and elaborate office furniture. But ergonomic doesn't have to mean expensive, says Kirschner. Protecting your back on a budget is easier than you think and can help you avoid becoming one of the legions of Americans incapacitated by back pain.

Here's Kirschner's five-point plan for making your office back-friendly:

Maximize your space
If you spend the majority of your day sitting at a desk, make sure that the things you use frequently, such as the stapler or message pad, are within reach. Grabbing for objects can cause back contortions resulting in injury.
Level the field
One of the leading causes of back pain is craning your neck to look at a computer screen below your field of vision. This type of injury can be easily avoided by bringing your screen up to eye level. The cheapest and easiest way to accomplish this: "Prop up your monitor with a telephone book," says Kirschner. "They're free and widely available."
Lumbarize your chair
If your office chair doesn't offer you enough lumbar support, Kirschner suggests rolling up a small towel and placing it in the curve of your lower back. He cautions against using something too large. "The towel should just fill the gap between your back and the chair," he says.
Get up and stretch
Sitting in one position for too long results in back and neck injuries. When your range of motion is restricted, it can cause muscle stiffness. Get up and stretch periodically. You don't need to go into full Downward Facing Dog. Just raise your hands above your head or do a slight back bend every 20 to 40 minutes.
Don't cradle the phone
"The single most important preventive measure: don't cradle your phone between your ear and shoulder," says Kirschner. Sitting with the phone lodged in this position is the number one cause of back and neck injuries. Invest in a hands-free headset. Barring that, use the speakerphone.

Fashion Disasters

Everyday apparel that puts the pinch in your back.

Men change, but their pants don't

Many men like to preserve the illusion that their waistline isn't growing as quickly as their hairline is receding, says Kirschner. The result: They wear pants that simply don't fit. As waistlines widen, their trousers start to drift farther and farther down the hips, causing a constriction of the sacroiliac joint. This impedes movement and can cause lasting damage.

Solution: Wear pants that fit.

Shoulders that bind

Let's face it. It's hard to find an off-the-rack jacket that fits well. As a result, many of us buy clothes that fit our midriffs, but pull tight across the shoulders. While you may not be conscious of it, a jacket that fits too snuggly across the shoulders can impede thoracic movement, exacerbating back pain, says Kirschner.

Solution: Invest in a tailored jacket that fits your proportions. If you have to compromise, go larger rather than smaller.

Bad fit and bad back

Kirschner surveyed 150 women in 2002, to find out if their bras were contributing to back pain. Measured against the guidelines provided by a fitting expert at a clothing manufacturer, he discovered that roughly 50 percent of the women were wearing the wrong size bra, and more than 70 percent were suffering from somatic dysfunction, a type of back pain across the back.