What should I do if my lower back hurts after sitting for a long time?

This is the 5319th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

As the Spring Festival is coming to an end, I have met several patients in the clinic who complained of back pain after sitting for a long time, and even needed to hold on to a table or chair to stand up, but the pain would be relieved after a little exercise. Some people's back pain even disappeared after exercise, but it would reappear after sitting for a long time again. Some people are worried about kidney problems, some are worried about prostate problems, some are worried about pelvic problems, and some are worried about lumbar disc problems. Many people have back pain, which may be related to the fact that people often sit for a long time during the Spring Festival, such as partying, staying up late, playing cards, watching TV, etc.

Why does lower back pain occur after sitting for a long time?

The most common cause of low back pain from sitting for a long time is lumbar muscle strain: maintaining the same sitting posture for a long time will cause the muscles and ligaments of the waist to be in a state of tension and fatigue, resulting in local strain. This strain will produce more inflammatory metabolites, forming aseptic inflammation, leading to low back pain. At the same time, due to poor blood circulation when sitting for a long time, the metabolites cannot be taken away in time, and a large amount of lactic acid accumulates in the waist muscles, aggravating the symptoms of low back pain.

When sitting for a long time, especially when sitting forward with the back bent, the load on the lumbar spine will increase. When sitting with the back bent, the load will even increase by about 220%. If there is a history of lumbar disc bulging or herniation, the herniation may be aggravated, causing worse low back pain.

Prolonged sitting and poor sitting posture can also lead to sacroiliac joint disorders, which can also cause low back pain.

what to do?

As the saying goes, the best treatment is to avoid back pain caused by sitting for a long time. It is recommended to stand up and move around regularly, maintain a correct sitting posture, use a lumbar cushion to support the waist, and do appropriate lumbar stretching exercises. However, many people have already developed symptoms and should be treated in time.

First of all, you should stop sitting for long periods of time and do some physical activities. You should sit in the right posture and stand up every half an hour to move your waist. It is best to use a cushion to relax your waist muscles. Of course, it would be even better if you can rest in bed properly, which can fully relax your waist muscles and relieve tension.

What to do if the pain is obvious?

If the pain is obvious, you can apply hot compresses and physical therapy. Of course, you can also apply blood circulation and pain relief or anti-inflammatory and analgesic ointments to relieve the pain symptoms. If it still cannot be relieved, you can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs orally.

Strengthening exercise is the fundamental solution

Strengthen the back muscle training to make the muscles stronger, so as to fundamentally solve the problem of back pain. Of course, exercise should vary from person to person, and should be done in moderation and within one's ability. Do not exercise blindly. It is best to ask a doctor to prescribe exercise and exercise the core muscles in a targeted manner. In daily life, pay attention to keeping the waist warm and avoid getting cold.

In short, low back pain after sitting for a long time is a common problem. The main causes include muscle strain and aseptic inflammation, lumbar disc herniation, sacroiliac joint disorder, etc. The symptoms of low back pain after sitting for a long time can be effectively relieved by avoiding sitting for a long time, appropriate activities, hot compress physiotherapy, physical therapy and exercise. If the symptoms are severe or persistent, it is recommended to seek medical attention and treatment in time.

Author: Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Third Central Hospital

Guo ShuzhangChief Physician