Have a break from your desk

[BP4MS]

I work in an office and spend hours sitting at a desk and I've found that having regular breaks really helps reduce any back pain.

Getting up and stretching, walking around and so changing my position, do seem to help a lot.

My Physiotherapist suggested doing hip twirls - rather like having a hoola hoop - and this seems to help too. It certainly gets my back moving after being sat still in a chair.

[admin]

NPR has a story today about research by Steven Blair a professor of public health at the University of South Carolina which basically says make breaks from just sitting at a desk (http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think). And this isn't just a back pain thing:

"Those who were sitting more were substantially more likely to die," says Blair.

Dr. Toni Yancey a professor in the Department of Health Services and co-director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity at the University of California, Los Angeles. recommends routine breaks during a full on day of sitting. Including just a few minutes every hour.

Here's some other tips from the side bar to the article about building in breaks:
Take a 10-minute activity break at a scheduled time every day.
Park farther away from the places where you work, shop, play, study and worship
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Put printers a short walking distance away from your work or study space instead of right next to it.
Replace desk chairs with stability balls — or use a standing desk to get rid of the chair entirely – to burn more calories while working.
Fidget, stand up and stretch at intervals in meetings.