If You Sit 8 Hours a Day, Your Back Will Be Ruined: How to Exercise Every 30 Minutes
I've been working a desk job for 3 years, and last year I was diagnosed with the early stages of a herniated disc. I'm sharing the exercises I got from the hospital and the ones I found on my own.
The hospital said strengthening the lower back muscles is the most important thing, so every morning I do bridge holds for 30 seconds x 3 sets and side planks for 20 seconds x 2 sets, and that's it. At the office, while sitting in my chair, I slowly turn my head left and right 10 times every hour and roll my shoulders in big circles.
The problem isn't memory—it's habit. So I set my smartphone alarm every 30 minutes, and whenever it goes off, I made it a routine to always stretch out my arms and legs. After a month, the pain in my femur decreased and the abnormal sensations went away.
According to my physical therapist, no matter how good your chair is, it's useless if you sit for long periods. The chair needs lumbar support, and the best posture is to push your hips all the way back in the chair and keep your back straight.
To sum up: get up from your seat at least once an hour, and strengthen not just your lower back but your abs as well. Right now, I do 10 minutes after work using only movements that won't cause noise complaints from the neighbors, and it's been quite effective.
9 answers
Agreed.
I tried going to the bathroom every hour, and it worked. An alarm would be nice too.
Well, can early-stage disc issues really improve with just that kind of exercise? In my case, even with physical therapy, it kept recurring.
Oh, I didn't know this one
Got a source? Physical therapists don't always say that, right?
I'm also an office worker. After doing bridges and side planks in the morning for 3 months, my lower back definitely feels more comfortable. If you're worried about noise between floors, lay down a mat. And a chair with lumbar support is essential too.
This is so true lol, the 30-minute alarm interval is really important.
The key seems to be that the abnormal sensations decreased. I can relate since I've had a similar experience. Thanks for the useful information.
I disagree. Getting up every 30 minutes actually hurts work efficiency. Isn't it more practical to take a 5-minute walk once every hour?