Don’t let working from home be a pain in the back

Find some tips for better back health, especially while working from home. Improve posture, manage weight and stay active with simple, effective strategies.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, it is estimated that less than 5% of employees worked from home. During the pandemic, this rose to nearer 50% of employees spending at least a part of their week working remotely. In 2024, around 25% of employees still work from home either fully or in a hybrid situation.

Your back, your priority

Approximately 2.5 million people in the UK live with a form of back pain. Reasons range from acute injury to degenerative conditions. However, most back pain is short-lived and caused by — among other things — a lack of physical activity, an increase in weight and posture problems rather than spinal damage or other health conditions.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Always sit all the way back in your chair, making your spine as long and straight as possible. If working on a computer, the screen will need to be raised anywhere between 5 and 10 inches to provide the proper height.

When sitting on a chair all day, the best way to look after your back is to get up regularly. Try to change your position at least every 20 minutes. Don’t work from sofas or chairs that are too low, deep, soft or angled backwards.

Approximately 2.5 million people in
the UK live with a form of back pain.

Choose your snacks wisely

Working from home can provide an increased opportunity to reach for the biscuit tin. As Hippocrates said: ‘Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.’ Wherever possible, choose fruit or vegetables to quell the hunger pangs between meals. Avoid the temptation for those tasty morsels that are high in sugar and rich in fats.

Walking keeps back mobile and relieves pain

Recently, an Australian WalkBack study highlighted that ‘walking’ is a good way to keep the back mobile and take our mind off the pain. Who would have thought that something so simple and free could be so effective? Walking provides options for all — whether that is around the room, the garden, to the local shop or even further afield, the opportunities to stretch our legs in this way are without limits.

When to get help for back pain

Chronic low back pain often has no specific cause, but serious conditions must be ruled out by a medical professional if symptoms persist. Seek immediate help if you experience sudden shooting pains, numbness, reduced muscle strength or bladder/bowel issues.