Posture-related back pain: is your posture really the problem?
By Luke Dunmore, Osteopath | Chatswood
Posture is often blamed for back pain, but the relationship is more complex than simply sitting or standing the ‘wrong’ way. For people working at a desk in Chatswood or commuting into Sydney, the more useful question is often how to make the working day more comfortable and varied.
Is there a perfect posture?
There is no single posture that is best for everyone. People can sit, stand and move in very different ways without pain. A position can become uncomfortable when it is held for a long time, but that does not necessarily mean the position is damaging your spine.
A more useful way to think about posture is as one factor among many. Movement variety, workload, strength, sleep, stress, recovery and how sensitive the area has become can all affect symptoms.
Why can sitting still aggravate back pain?
Even a comfortable position can begin to feel unpleasant when it is maintained for long enough. Remaining still reduces movement variety and keeps similar demands on the same tissues. If your work, training or recovery demands have recently changed, your current tolerance for that position may also be lower.
This helps explain why changing position or walking can ease symptoms. The original posture was not necessarily bad. Your body may simply have needed a different input.
What else can contribute?
A sudden increase in sitting, lifting, training or travel
Reduced movement during the working day
Fatigue, poor sleep or increased stress
A mismatch between current physical capacity and daily demands
A previous pain episode that has made the area more sensitive
What can you do?
Rather than trying to hold one ‘correct’ posture all day, aim to change position regularly. Short walks, standing breaks and simple movements can be more realistic than maintaining a rigid sitting position. Adjust your chair and screen for comfort, without treating any one setup as essential for a healthy back.
Progressive strength training can help build confidence and capacity for daily activity. The most useful exercises depend on your symptoms, current ability and goals, rather than one universal posture-correction routine.
A simple starting point is to choose a comfortable position, change it before discomfort builds significantly, and gradually build your tolerance for the activities you need to do.
When should you seek advice?
Consider an assessment if pain is persistent, worsening, repeatedly returning or limiting work, sleep, exercise or normal activity. Seek emergency medical assessment for new difficulty passing urine, loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness around the saddle area, or significant progressive leg weakness. Back pain with fever, feeling unwell or significant trauma also needs prompt medical assessment.
How may osteopathy help?
An osteopathy appointment can help assess relevant physical, lifestyle and workload factors and identify whether further investigation or referral is needed. Management may include education, progressive exercise and a practical plan for returning to normal activity. Hands-on treatment can be considered as part of that wider plan, rather than as a way to permanently ‘correct’ your posture.
Back pain assessment in Chatswood
Luke Dunmore is a UK-trained osteopath with a BSc in Sports Rehabilitation and a master's in Osteopathy. At Dunmore Osteopathy, based at The Body Project, 6 Help Street, Chatswood, his clinical interests include neck and back pain, running injuries and exercise rehabilitation.
If back pain is affecting your day, book an assessment to discuss your symptoms and an individual plan. This article provides general information and does not replace a personal assessment.
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