Last year in early March I took on the arduous task of learning how to ride a road bike. I signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer and was eager to get on my bike and ride, ride, ride. I was well on my way when suddenly, almost out of nowhere, I began to experience sharp, paralyzing pain in my lower back. I was very confused and couldn’t understand why a very active, young and healthy woman (me) was facing an issue like this. A few months later, I got the results back from an MRI and found out I had a disc compression and protrusion at my L4/L5 and L5/S1 discs in my spine.
For anyone unfamiliar, disc problems are very debilitating. An otherwise active lifestyle becomes compromised and changes need to be implemented straight away. Receiving this news left me feeling disheartened and defeated. At first I couldn’t accept this fate but after some time I stopped to realize that this was just another life hurdle I had to climb over. Although I didn’t have the support of my back, I had the support of my family, friends and wonderful colleagues I’m fortunate to work with in Admissions.
Fast forward to now – almost one year later. I am still facing the back problems and doing what I can to avoid surgery. Many of you, like me, sit in front of your computer monitor, at your desk, in your chair, all day long. You are probably reading this article at your workstation right now. So what does sitting in a chair all day mean for an injured back and what does it mean for a healthy one? Surprisingly, almost the same thing. The only difference is that I’m working to overcome an injury and you are (hopefully) working to prevent an injury (I’d rather be doing the latter!). Over the course of 10 months I have found many ways to implement healthier activities at work, both at my desk and away from it. Here are some things I learned about the back and sitting at work:
1. Just because you’re sitting down doesn’t mean you can’t get up.
I don’t know about you but when I get in the “groove”, I get in the groove! I’m even there right now, I admit. But time after time I would tell myself “oh, just ten more minutes, I just need to finish this really quickly”. Before my back problems this didn’t seem to be an issue. But now I don’t need to tell myself this because my back pain is the constant reminder. Don’t let yourself get to this point. Believe me, it’s not pleasant. You may not feel the effects of back problems now but a few months or years down the road you might (read this article). This can all be prevented. Get up, move around, grab a buddy, go for a walk! Our campus is beautiful and I know that some of you have barely seen what is out there. Treating yourself to a quick afternoon walk will not only help your back, it will also rejuvenate you as you breathe in the fresh air and share a friendly conversation with a colleague. Your body and brain will thank you!
2. Sitting isn’t always the worst thing you can do for your back, so long as you’re doing it right.
Despite what many studies say about sitting all day, it isn’t always the worst position for the back. For my case in particular, standing or walking for long periods of time can make my back pain worse. As with anything, the key is balance and moderation. We’ve already talked about getting up and moving around but the reality is that most of the time we will be sitting. Have you checked your posture lately? What about the way your computer station is set up? For better posture, set up an appointment to see an Ergonomic Representative. Nina Kessler helped me with the positioning of my computer monitors, chair and keyboard. I have colleagues come past my desk who have commented on my “perfect posture” (thanks, Stephen!). Another tool I find useful is Workplace Sam, a program you can download for free which has automatic friendly and fun reminders to take a break, stretch your limbs or watch the positioning of your phone when speaking on it, for example.
3. Water does wonders!
Water has always been my secret savior. I used to work as a flight attendant and in my two years of flying I never had to call sick for a flight. People wondered how this was possible and I swear it was because I was drinking a minimum of 1.5 litres of water per flight. I think most of us know the benefits of water but have you ever thought about how drinking a lot of water encourages you to visit the washroom? Have you also thought about the water cooler being located at a communal space where you might bump into colleagues and spend a few minutes chatting with them? Have you noticed that when you drink more water you feel more satisfied and less inclined to eat more than you need to? All of these small benefits can add up and work to help you to get up from your chair, move around, talk to people and feel healthier.
4. Having back problems doesn’t mean you can’t do your work.
I think I know this point best. As I’ve been suffering through painful days (some worse than others), particularly in the beginning when I worried that I wouldn’t be able to get my work done. Pain killers were prescribed to me but didn’t necessarily work and there were days I was not mobile enough to leave home (the bed). “Good days and bad days,” my fiancé always says. Although I’ve been implementing all of the (above mentioned) strategies there are still days that it feels like it doesn’t matter what I’m doing. But it does matter and there is always more that you can do. Recently, one of our colleagues suffered a back injury as well. In her case, sitting was a part of the problem and not the solution. She temporarily set up a workstation that allows her to do her work standing. She has implemented a strategy that works for her and is allowing her to continue to do her work. Like I said before, life presents us hurdles to climb over and it’s really up to you to decide what resources you can use to get over the hurdle as best as you can. This brings me to my final point:
5. Use your resources!
We are fortunate enough to have a lot of support in our departments. Here is a list for you to have a better idea of what is out there for you to prevent or work through injuries:
- Healthy UBC Initiatives (check out the newsletter for free January workshops)
- Ergonomics at UBC
- City of Vancouver offering Recreational Promotions
- Corporate Fitness Discounts
- UBC Staff Resources
- Sun Life Work Benefits (If you have access, use these! Don’t wait for an injury to see a massage therapist – your muscles deserve the treatment!)
Lastly – your team can be your greatest resource! Turn to your managers and colleagues for support. Some staff have been here for years, some are brand new. Share the information you have if you have it. If we all look out for each other, we will always be taken care of.