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I work on desktop everyday in my office and due to this I am suffering from lower back pain. I want to know if I can really get relief from back pain by doing some form of exercise. And which physical exercises might be helpful.

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    Which readily available advice about back pain exercises is not working for you? I would say that the single most likely thing to help would be to change the chair you sit at, and also get your posture, the position of the screen, mouse and keyboard right. Also get up from your workplace and move around at least once every hour.
    – Weather Vane
    Oct 21, 2019 at 13:39
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    Hi Janny, Welcome to Lifehacks. Have a look at Ergonomics as a subject devoted to the efficiency of the human body in a work (or productive) environment. It deals with the position and distribution of your body to environmental (gravitational) influence. Proper ergonomical position diminishes physical and physiological stress.
    – Stan
    Oct 21, 2019 at 17:44
  • Some people develop back pain simple because they are sitting on their wallet that is rather thick. Doctors, in this case recommend either alternating rear pockets or put your wallet in your front pocket. Sounds simple, but it does work, if this would in fact be the cause. In my case, it work marvellously.
    – Ken Graham ♦
    Oct 21, 2019 at 23:22
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    Questions about health issues should be directed to a suitably qualified healthcare professional, not random unqualified individuals on the internet who cannot examine you or know anything about your personal situation
    – Caius Jard
    Oct 23, 2019 at 7:50

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Core body strength will help keep you spine stable an "in place".

There are different kinds of exercises to strengthen your core- from traditional gym work on the right machines (consult an instructor first) through Pilates or Yoga (involving a bit of the spiritual side) or specialized core sessions down to Alexander Technique (somewhat controversial afaik)

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I can't say that my back pain was the same as yours, but when I need a new chair I bought a typist's chair to work at my desktop PC because I don't like those "manager style" office chairs which are only comfortable if you are leaning back and directing others.

The chair I bought felt very comfortable. The seat was slightly dished and supported me nicely. Yet I started to get back pain and I didn't know why. Then when I thought about my posture carefully, I realised that my pelvis was tipped back very slightly because of the dished seat.

So I tried another chair with a seat that tipped my pelvis very slightly forward, and the trouble went away very quickly. I was amazed that such a small difference in posture could be significant.

The height of the screen must be right, and your forearms relative to the desk. You should be sitting upright with your body straight towards the keyboard and screen, not twisted.

You also need the right glasses (if worn). I have been to opticians who don't ask what my reading glasses are for, and I found I need different a prescription for reading a book, and when using a computer screen. The 'book' reading glasses were making me hunch forward towards the screen, causing a bad posture.

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Some people develop back pain simple because they are sitting on their wallet that is rather thick. Doctors, in this case recommend either alternating rear pockets or put your wallet in your front pocket. Sounds simple, but it does work, if this would in fact be the cause.

In my case, it worked marvellously.

As for exercises, I would recommend seeing a doctor or health care professional as you do not want to do more damage if this is the case. Make sure you do not have an underlining condition first.

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You can have the most expensive and mechanically advanced equipment which will cause all manner of damage and loss of productivity if used incorrectly and the simplest of setups for years without complications. The key to success is HOW you use your assets.

Ergonomics concerns the study of our efficiency in a working environment.

Volumes have been written and illustrated concerning the optimal work station position, standing, kneeling, and sitting. Perform a Web search for Office Ergonomics for more detailed discussion of the best practices to employ for you specifically.

When your workstation is set up correctly according to ergonomic guidelines, you will

  • Be less likely to have problems such as headaches or eye strain.
  • Reduce neck and back pain.
  • Prevent bursitis or tendon problems that are linked to doing the same task over and over (repetitive tasks).

The only tool you'll need for a lifetime of relief is a tape measure.

A good place to begin is with this How To guide from the MAYO clinic.

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Using a ball chair can help strengthen your core. I recommend the ones with the locking wheel base and the ball should be the right height so your elbows are at a 90 degree when typing.

Intermittent breaks from long periods of sitting helps more than exercise.

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