Lower back pain from sitting: why it happens and what helps

Why sitting makes your back hurt

Your spine is made to move. When you sit for long periods, the same muscles and joints stay loaded in one position, and they get stiff and tired. Over months, sitting a lot also means less walking and less strength in the muscles that support your back, especially the hips and buttocks.

The good news: in most people this kind of pain is mechanical. It is uncomfortable and it can come back, but it is rarely a sign of damage, and it responds well to movement.

Set up your chair and desk

• Sit with your feet flat on the floor and your knees roughly level with your hips.
• Use the backrest. A small cushion or rolled towel behind your lower back helps if the chair has no support.
• Put the top of your screen at eye level. If you work on a laptop, raise it on a stand and use a separate keyboard.
• Keep what you use most within easy reach so you are not twisting all day.

Change position often

There is no single perfect posture. The best posture is the next one. Stand up every 30 to 45 minutes, even for one minute: take a phone call standing, walk to get water, stretch before your next meeting. Short, frequent breaks matter more than one long workout at the end of the day.

Three simple exercises

1. Cat and cow. On your hands and knees, slowly round your back up toward the ceiling, then let it sink gently. 10 slow repetitions.
2. Glute bridge. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold two seconds, lower slowly. 2 sets of 10.
3. Standing back extension. Stand with your hands on your lower back and gently lean backward, then return. 5 times, once every hour or two while working.

These should feel easy to moderate. Stop an exercise if the pain becomes sharp or starts spreading into your leg.

When to see a physiotherapist

Book an assessment if the pain has not improved after two weeks, keeps coming back, wakes you at night, or stops you from working or exercising normally. A physiotherapist examines how your back and hips move, finds what is driving the pain, and builds a plan with hands on treatment and exercises matched to your body and your job.