The bookkeeping service discussion made me think of this problem that comes with too much sitting. It can develop a terrible pain in the back!

I did not mean to go there, but it can also develop a problem with your feet swelling. All of this comes with sitting a lot and not getting up and moving around enough.

Let’s get back to the back pain. It can be caused by bad posture. Sitting up straight and walking tall do more for you than making you look good; it can also affect how well your muscles and joints perform. Posture and health go hand-in-hand in keeping you from getting back pain.

Poor posture can be caused by a number of factors. Obesity, pregnancy, weak muscles, high-heeled shoes, poor working environment, and laziness are a few contributing factors to poor posture. Sometimes slumping over and just not holding yourself straight is just a bad habit that you have developed. So it stands to reason that it is a habit you have to break if you want to avoid the back pain.

Maintaining a good posture takes a conscious effort, much like any other habit. If you do something often enough, even standing or sitting straight with your stomach sucked in, it will become second nature and you won’t have to think about it.

Besides getting rid of back pain, having proper posture can also affect the other joints in our bodies. If you slouch while seated, your back, knees, and neck may hurt. If you let your posture go while driving, it could actually be a contributing factor to an accident because you won’t be able to see properly out the rearview or side mirrors.

I won’t recommend that you go to see a doctor unless the back pain is chronic and you can not get rid of it by getting up and moving around. Sometimes after I have sat for a number of hours, I find that if I just get up and do stretching exercises, my back will noticeably feel better.

Remember when you work at home, you may have to force yourself to take breaks, so be sure and get in the habit of taking them. In an office situation, other people will interfere with you and call you away from your desk which gives you an enforced break. Think about it; how many times did someone stick their head into your office and say, “let’s have lunch!”? At home, unless you have smaller children running around, you may not have the same interruptions. Sure, occasionally, someone might come to the door.

O.K. here is the important lesson, I want you to learn. Take time to be aware of how you stand, walk, sit, and lift. If you relax too much you may get lazy and begin slouching instead of keeping your spine straight and stomach pulled in. Keeping your posture intact helps strengthen the muscles along the spine and can help reduce or eliminate back pain.

Learn exercises that will strengthen your back muscles as well as those in your stomach. You’ll have an easier time maintaining good posture if your muscles are in shape. Strengthening the abdominal muscles, particularly, can aide your back as well.

Make a conscious effort to take care of yourself. Working at home is not an excuse to let yourself develop unhealthy habits. We want to keep you at your peak of performance and that includes maintaining good health.

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