Sit less to keep back pain at bay, researchers say

Turku, Finland — Workers who experience back pain can keep it from getting worse by reducing their time spent sitting, results of a recent study by Finnish researchers show.

A team led by researchers from the University of Turku placed 33 of 64 overweight workers with some level of back pain into an intervention group and tasked them with decreasing their sitting time by 40 minutes a day over six months.

After that span, “back pain intensity increased significantly more in the control group than in the intervention group, in which back pain intensity remained unchanged,” the study states.

In a press release, lead study author Jooa Norha, a doctoral researcher and physiotherapist at the university, encourages workers to add activity rather than simply stand up more frequently.

“If you have a tendency for back pain or excessive sitting and are concerned for your back health, you can try to figure out ways for reducing sitting at work or during leisure time,” Norha said. “However, it is important to note that physical activity, such as walking or more brisk exercise, is better than simply standing up.”

The study was published in the journal BMJ Open.