Guidance

Back Pain - Staying in Employment - Top Tips!

Stay or become more physically active.
Warm up a little, to prepare your body for work for heavy or repetitive work. You should do this at the beginning of the day and after rest periods.
Get up and stretch.
Use good technique/ adopt neutral work postures.
Don’t overstretch to perform a task- move closer!
Make good use of equipment designed to help you with strenuous tasks. Consult the free leaflet Are you making the best use of lifting and handling aids [541KB] for more advice.
Rotate repetitive activities / vary your tasks to avoid the same movements for prolonged periods using the same parts of your body.
Take rest periods or have ‘micro breaks’ regularly.
Sit up comfortably in a chair that supports your lower back.
During computer work, ensure that you adjust your chair height so that your forearms are comfortably resting on the desk and your elbows are roughly at right angles. Consult the free VDU workstation checklist [277KB] or Working with VDUs [112KB] .
Don’t skip meals and do drink water regularly.
Make sure clothes fit properly so you can move freely and maintain a comfortable temperature - cold muscles are more likely to suffer injury.
Seek advice from a physio about specific exercises that will help you develop the strength your muscles and improve your fitness so you can manage the demands of your job.