Published: April 22, 2025

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Back pain is one of the most common complaints among office workers—especially those working from home without professional workspace setups. Pillar Ergonomics helps Canadians reduce pain by addressing the root causes, not just the symptoms.

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Why Sitting Hurts
Prolonged sitting compresses spinal discs and weakens core and gluteal muscles, leading to poor posture and chronic pain. Furthermore, sitting improperly places the muscles, joints and ligaments under additional strain leading to injury to these tissues. An ergonomic setup and consistent mobility breaks are key to prevention.

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Effective Solutions

• Ergonomic Setup: Proper chair, desk, and screen height are essential.

• Movement Breaks: Set a timer to stand and stretch every 30–45 minutes.

• Recline against the seat back: Slightly reclining against the seat back reduces the compressive load on the joints and discs in your spine and reduces dependency on the postural muscles in your back. Sitting upright for long periods of time is difficult!

• Stretching Routine: Include hip flexor and hamstring stretches in your day.

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Pillar Ergonomics offers on-site and virtual ergonomic assessments to help you set up your workspace for lasting comfort and improved performance.​

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Explore posture-friendly stretches and movements at Tom’s Guide.