What do these occupations have in common?
* Clerks and programmers
* Athletes and waiters
* Factory and construction workers
* Farmers
Cannot think of a common factor? Well, all these entail back pain in one way or another. It does not matter whether you are sedentary or up and about all day. Work can definitely take a toll on you, your back specifically.
Initially, one may think that sitting or standing for long hours may be the primary culprit for causing back pain. Poor posture, evident with a slouch, has also been constantly blamed. For these reasons, back pain can be easily associated with clerical and desk jobs. While this may be true in majority of the cases, there are actually several other factors to consider.
Take for instance constructions workers. Their job requires heavy lifting. Too much force or instantaneous and unexpected force injures the back muscles. Accidents such as seemingly innocent falls are also bad.
The same is true for athletes, weightlifters and boxers. In addition, the intense practice needed before any competition also requires repetitive exercises that may strain the back. Notice how a simple marathon can give you pain all over your body? Magnify that several times for these professionals and you will understand how much pain their backs have to endure.
Even factory workers experience back pain. Think of prolonged hours of sitting and repetitive actions.
Lifting, even if not heavy, also causes back pain. Try to picture the waiters serving in a busy restaurant. Although food and drinks seem bearable enough as compared to gravel and cement, stretched back muscles for long periods of time also cause pain.
Finally, think of the farmers bending all day to plant grains. Team that up with the sweltering heat of the sun and back pain is inevitable.
Unsurprisingly, stress is also a factor that adds to back pain. There is only so much that our body can take. One also has to take note that studies have shown how our emotional well-being affects our physical state. When we are stressed, we feel tense and this can translate to muscle tightness.
If we look at many organizations today, ergonomics is one of the solutions to address common health issues, such as back pain, in the workplace. It involves the provision of furniture and equipment with the right design made for the human body. If you are someone who works from home, you may want to consider looking into it. As for those with heavy workload, ways to address back pain include ample rest and improving muscle endurance.
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