Is Your Office Chair and Computer Work Causing Sciatica?

Outdated Office Chair and prolonged Computer Work Causing Sciatica pain in majority of office workers.If you spend 8 or more hours a day sitting at a desk, you might have felt pain in your lower back, buttocks, or legs. Many people believe that the cause of their back pain is long working hours, but the true causes are actually bad sitting posture, an unsupportive office chair and improper computer ergonomics.

Your office chair itself is not necessarily the cause of sciatica, but sitting for long periods of time and maintaining an improper workstation setup can lead to irritation of the sciatic nerve and exacerbate back issues. Fortunately, simple adjustments and movement can make a huge difference in lowering your risk.

What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a condition that causes pain due to the irritation or compression of the largest nerve in the body. Usually pain begins in the lower back and radiates through the buttock and down one leg.

Common symptoms include:

• Sharp or burning pain in the buttock/leg area
• 
  Numbness or tingling
• 
  Muscle weakness
• 
  Worsens with sitting
• 
  Trouble getting up from sitting positions, or from extended sitting periods.

Sciatica is commonly caused by:

• Herniated lumbar disc
• 
  Degenerative disc disease
• computer work causing sciatica
• 
  Lumbar spinal stenosis
• 
  Piriformis syndrome
• 
  Spondylolisthesis

Is there a possibility that your office work may cause Sciatica?

The actual cause of sciatica is not due to the nature of the office job. The disadvantages of sitting for extended periods of time are also an increased burden on the lumbar spine, improper sitting posture, weak core muscles, and improperly adjusted workstation, all of which can aggravate preexisting spine issues and compress the sciatic nerve.

Studies have found that sitting for long periods of time puts more pressure on intervertebral discs in the back than standing, particularly sitting with poor posture.

If your office setup is causing your sciatica, here are some signs to watch for:

If you have any of the following symptoms then your workstation might be causing them:

• Aches to the lower back after working at a computer for a while.
• computer work causing sciatica
• 
  Rather pain spreading into the buttock or leg.
• More pain into buttock or leg.
• 
  One leg numbness when sitting down
• 
  Rigidness in the hip when getting up.
• 
  Sitting or lying in a different posture to relieve the pressure when walking or standing.

Common office habits that can aggravate a Sciatica condition.

1. Sitting for hours at a time without taking breaks.

Sitting for extended periods of time leads to decreased circulation and pressure on spinal discs.

Solution: Take a 2-5 minute break to stand, stretch or walk every 30-45 minutes.

2. Poor Sitting Posture

Slouching puts too much strain on the muscles and spine in the lower back and computer work causing sciatica

Solution: Sitting with your back supported, shoulders relaxed and your feet flat on the floor.

3. Incorrect Chair Height

Too tall, too short, wrong alignment of the spine.

Solution: Make sure to adjust your chair so that your hips and knees are at about a 90-degree angle from one another.

4. Inadequate back support.

When proper support on the lumbar is not provided, the structural curve in the lower back deteriorates causing increased pressures on the disc and computer work causing sciatica.

Solution: Make use of the lumbar support on your chair or add a small lumbar cushion behind your lower back.

5. Poor Monitor Position

Staring down or up will cause strain to the neck and promote poor posture which is actually computer work causing sciatica.

Solution: Place the top of your monitor at eye level and about an arm’s length distance.

6. The keyboard or mouse is out of reach.

Rounding shoulders and higher stresses on the spine result from reaching forward and computer work causing sciatica.

Solution: Place the keyboard and mouse within reach so that your elbows are held at approximately 90° angle.

7. Crossing Your Legs

Crossing your legs alters the position of the pelvis and can put pressure on the lower back.

Solution: Do not lift your feet off the ground or off a foot rest.

8. Weak Core Muscles

Having a weak core means that the spine doesn’t get as much support, and sitting for long periods is more difficult.

Solution: Do exercises to strengthen the core recommended by a physio.

9. lack of physical activity.

Sitting all day, without doing exercise, decreases flexibility and muscle strength of the supporting muscles of the spine.

Solution: Get 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

10. Ignoring Early Symptoms

A lot of people who work in an office don’t pay any attention to their back pain, as long as it doesn’t get to a critical level.

Solution: If the pain is not relieved after two weeks or if it’s spreading down your leg, get an early evaluation.

Setting up an ergonomic work station.

An ergonomic workstation can help lessen the strain on your spine.

Do not allow your feet to lift off the ground.
Keep knees and elbows right-angled.
Use lumbar support.
Keep your eye level with the top of your monitor.
Ensure wrists remain straight during typing.
Keep often-used objects easily accessible.
Sitting and standing in rotation, if possible.

The following simple desk exercises can help prevent sciatica.

Do these exercises every hour:

• Seated pelvic tilts
• 
  Standing back extensions
• 
  Hamstring stretches
• 
  Hip flexor stretches
• 
  Only do the Sciatic nerve gliding exercises, if prescribed by your physiotherapist
  Make the most of short strolls around the workplace.

When to seek physiotherapist advice?

If you suffer from any of these ailments, please see a physiotherapist:

Leg pain that lasts more than two weeks.
Numbness or tingling that doesn’t go away
Muscle weakness
Difficulty walking
Pain that interferes with work or sleep
Recurrent attacks of sciatica.

Treatment early in the course of the disease can avoid chronic symptoms and decrease the recovery time.

How Physiotherapy Can Help

Physiotherapy at Lahore Spine Care centres on the root cause of your symptoms, not just masking the pain.

Treatment may include:

• Comprehensive spinal assessment
• 
  Manual therapy
• 
  Postural correction
• 
  Core stabilization exercises
• 
  Sciatic nerve mobilization
• 
  Ergonomic advice
• 
  Home exercise program designed to meet the individual’s needs.

What makes Lahore Spine Care unique?

Dr. Ejaz Danish PT & his qualified team offers evidence based physiotherapy to patients with:

• Sciatica
  Lower back pain
• 
  Herniated discs
• 
  Neck pain
• 
  Cervical & Lumbar Radiculopathy
• 
  Postural disorders
• 
  Sports injuries

We take a non-surgical, individualized approach to patient care that focuses on alleviating pain, restoring function and preventing recurrence.

Conclusion

While your office chair is not necessarily the culprit in causing sciatica, a bad chair, a long day at the computer and a poorly designed workstation can all contribute to low back pain and irritating your sciatic nerve.

Minor changes to the workstation, changes in position and early physiotherapy can make a huge difference. Do not dismiss symptoms if they don’t go away. Early intervention will help you recover quicker and work comfortably.

References

1. Delitto A, George SZ, Van Dillen LR, et al. Low Back Pain Clinical Practice Guidelines. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2021;51(11)–CPG60.
2. Foster NE, Anema JR, Cherkin D, et al. Prevention and Treatment of Low Back Pain: Evidence, Challenges, and Promising Directions. The Lancet. 2018;391(10137):2368–2383.
3. Jensen RK, Kongsted A, Kjaer P, Koes BW. Diagnosis and Treatment of Sciatica. BMJ. 2019;367.
4. Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA. Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2017;166(7):514–530.
5. McGill SM. Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation. Human Kinetics. 2016.