Sitting all day at your job, how to prevent lower back pain?

I try and get up every 20 to 30 minutes. I drink a lot of water, so I have to pee about that time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[QUOTE=simpstr;1005923]I try and get up every 20 to 30 minutes. I drink a lot of water, so I have to pee about that time!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE]

So just agreeing that the top tips are get up and move every 20 minutes, consider a standing desk, consider a treadmill walking desk.

If you cant do those things then your going to have to just accept the damage and mitigate it best you can. Items like this [url=http://www.healthykin.com/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=2712&SEName=bodyline-back-huggar-pillow&gclid=COPn8fHQ07MCFYw-Mgods1QAaw]Bodyline Back Huggar Pillow at HealthyKin.com[/url] can help. The last line of defense is to accept that a degree of damage is being done and finding a chiropractor to relieve the pain and help you prevent future issues.

So step 1 is lifestyle change, step 2 is support, step 3 is outside intervention. Good luck!

Uhm, unrelated to the back pain, but if you drink so much water that you pee every 30 min, you might want to consider cutting back. Being water logged is not a good thing, despite the obsession the diet world has with water. The old rule of 8 cups a day is debunked thanks goodness, and if you drink to keep hunger pangs down, you really need to eat more or change macros instead. Once every 3 hours is a bit more human rate of fluid recycling.

[QUOTE=Leida;1006994]Uhm, unrelated to the back pain, but if you drink so much water that you pee every 30 min, you might want to consider cutting back. Being water logged is not a good thing, despite the obsession the diet world has with water. The old rule of 8 cups a day is debunked thanks goodness, and if you drink to keep hunger pangs down, you really need to eat more or change macros instead. Once every 3 hours is a bit more human rate of fluid recycling.[/QUOTE]

Where did you get the idea that drinking a lot of water is bad for you? And yeah 8 cups a day.. should be more like a gallon in my opinion. That's how much I drink most days.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzssyeIzDWo]10 Minute Yoga Hip Stretch Workout: How To Stretches for Hip, Butt & Leg Pain, Jen Hilman Austin - YouTube[/url]

I have been dealing with similar pains from driving/computer editing, and I've been doing the above routine. As irritating as that video is (why isn't she looking at the camera?! Whats with all the dumb angles and bad audio??) it is very helpful and sometimes I can't even hold the stretches through the recommended time! It is simple and fast, but done regularly, has been very good for me.

Why does pelvic tilting hurt the lower back? To me, pelvic tilting is a lot like lying on my back with my knees up. It helps my lower back. Or maybe, what I think is pelvic tilting is actually proper posture?
Arching my back causes my back pain.

Best for back pain is forward bends, IMO. If you can't touch your toes, spread your legs out wider.

[QUOTE=oxide;1007788]Why does pelvic tilting hurt the lower back? To me, pelvic tilting is a lot like lying on my back with my knees up. It helps my lower back. Or maybe, what I think is pelvic tilting is actually proper posture?
Arching my back causes my back pain.

Best for back pain is forward bends, IMO. If you can't touch your toes, spread your legs out wider.[/QUOTE]

Kinda depends on your personal history. Disc bulges dont do so hot with forward bending normally. Backward bending (arching) doesnt do so hot for facet dysfunction (these people also would have pain wearing high heals). Sitting really is horrible for the spine. Of the the positions standing, walking, lying, and sitting....sitting places the most compressive force on the disc and supportive structures by far.

I workout at lunch and spend 10 min stretching post workout. The weeks where I'm buried and can't, my back hurts. The hip flexor stretches are paramount... as is what mark calls the grok squat.

The OP has left a few details out.

WHY do you have to sit all day to talk to customers? Is this face-to-face, across a desk, or on the phone? Do customers see you, or just hear you?

I work in a call center type of job, where I am on the phone all day, talking to people. I have a wireless headset, so I can wander around a bit while talking. I have to do some computer work too, so I do have to sit also, but as my job does provide "reasonable ergonomic accommodation", I submitted a letter from my chiropractor stating that I need to be able to sit or stand as needed while working, so I am scheduled to get an adjustable computer desk, where I can stand comfortably, or sit, at the push of a button. Could something like that help you out?

Check out Esther Gokhale and the Gokhale Method (first heard of Esther here at MDA). I watched a 53 minute video on youtube of Esther re posture. I had immediate benefit! I too work at a computer many hours a day and bought a simple wooden laptop lap desk and placed it on a desk, so I can switch back and forth, keeping Esther's teaching in mind.