Back Pain and the Workplace Environment

Work is a part of life, an inherent aspect of it. How strenuous our work is, of course, depends on many factors.

The impact of work on our spine

  • Decades of physical work place great strain on the sensitive components of our skeletal system, and although this also depends on our genetic predisposition, we can say that during our lifetime, as time progresses, there is a high likelihood of experiencing joint, neck, or lower back pain. Symptoms are especially intensified during weather fronts or seasonal changes.
  • Similarly, sedentary work can also be taxing on our spine, whether it takes place in an office environment, hunched over in front of a monitor, or sitting at a station on a production line.
  • If someone is a driver, their spine is also subjected to great stress. In common language, lower back pain is often referred to as driver’s disease.
  • The work of a rural farmer cannot be called spine-friendly either. They are often seen working bent completely forward in the fields all day long.
  • The dentist leans over the patient’s mouth, while the operating surgeon bends over the patient’s body.
  • For athletes, protecting the spine is also an important issue. Professional sports and incorrect exercises performed during training place enormous strain.


From the above list, it is clear how great a challenge it is for a person to protect their spine during work.

Is there a solution?


In societies that pay more conscious attention to the workplace environment, prevention is playing an increasingly important role. The science of ergonomics encourages the use of tools that make work as optimal as possible, minimizing health damage.

  • Ergonomic office workstations ensure the proper use of chairs, desks, monitors, keyboards, and mice, and also provide the knowledge on how to use them most appropriately.
  • In modern dental equipment, the doctor can almost
    move the patient at will to gain the best access.
  • For drivers, there are now cushions that can be placed behind the lower back, which can help get rid of lower back pain.
  • Many of the risks arising from physical work could be eliminated with smart
    advice, informative lectures, and proper work organization.


The same applies to sports: the solution is the training of coaches, who need to be informed about spine-friendly exercises.

Who are the winners of prevention?


Apparently, only we, the employees. But in the long run, a healthy and thus more productive workforce is much more fruitful and beneficial for the employer as well. The establishment of workplace ergonomics contributes to this. Moreover, the issue becomes even more prospective if we try to interpret it on a societal scale. The healthy person creates healthier families and ultimately a healthier society.