Why lockdown might be giving you back problems - and the exercises that could help

Most days, during lockdown, I do a tour of my home that goes something like this.

I wake up at 7am and take advantage of the fact I don’t need to be anywhere and work in bed for a couple of hours on my laptop.

After breakfast, I take up residence at the kitchen table, where I perch on the edge of one of my stiff-backed kitchen chairs.

Once the now customary twinges set in and start shooting up my back after about an hour, I migrate to the living room to sink into the sofa, until my rib cage feels so collapsed from hunching over my computer, I return to the kitchen.

And so continues my daily journey in pursuit of somewhere — anywhere — I can feel comfortable enough to do my work.

It seems I’m not alone.

According to a recent survey of 500 workers by the Institute of Employment Studies, there has been a "significant increase in musculoskeletal complaints" since we’ve been confined at home for work.

More than half of those surveyed reported new aches and pains: 58 per cent in the neck, 56 per cent in the shoulder, and 55 in the back, compared to normal.

Indeed, this month, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy advised its members to prepare for no less than ‘a tsunami’ of rehabilitation needs when lockdown is lifted from people whose aches and pains have worsened, in part due to lack of exercise and poor habits during quarantine.

After all, it’s not just trying to do our office jobs hunched over our screens. It’s also the hours we’re spending glued to our screens for Zoom chats, Covid news updates, social networking and Netflix binge-watching.

However, unless we start thinking about our posture now, far from being able to skip into summer when lockdown ends, we’ll only be storing up problems, according to leading physiotherapist Tim Allardyce, clinical director of Surrey Physio.

"Every morning, when you’re sitting using your laptop in bed like that," Allardyce says, "you’re putting your body at a 45 degree angle while your neck is bending forward.

"Looking down at screens like this is putting a significant amount of strain through your neck. Your head weighs about eight per of your body weight, so leaning forward is putting a lot of pressure on your neck muscles, which are not big and strong, like the hamstrings or glutes.

"They are small muscles whose job it is to rotate and side-bend the neck. They are not there to support your head. That’s the job of your spine when the head is sitting above the vertebral column, without gravity pulling it forward."

Over time, Allardyce warns the developing stiffness in my lower neck, which is now starting to cascade down my back, could eventually lead to disc problems.

"When you flex your neck forward for long enough over months or years, it can lead to disc herniation," he says.

This is when discs — or soft cushion of tissue between the bones of the spine — start pushing out and causing pain when they press on the nerves.

"Those disc problems can easily become chronic, and over time are related to degenerative changes in the neck," he says.

Indeed, Allardyce tells me that my constant restlessness as I work is my body’s way of telling me it doesn’t like the way I am using it. He says: "Your body’s natural instinct is to get up, move around and change position. When you feel uncomfortable, it’s a sign your body is yelling at you that it wants you to be more mobile.

"You should be getting up every 30 minutes for a one to two minute walk, even if it’s just a stroll to the kitchen. Beyond that, we should all be doing regular exercise in our homes to keep our muscle strength and keep our bodies moving."

And that’s not the only way our lockdown lifestyle is harming our health.

A survey this week found that we are consuming at extra 2,331 lockdown calories a week, thanks to rise in comfort and boredom snacking.

"The extra calories we’re eating means that many of us are putting on weight," Allardyce explains, "putting extra pressure on the spine, the hips and knees and weakening our cores, which we need to provide stability to our bodies.’

Plus, there’s one more unexpected way all this slouching may not be helping.

Poor posture means we are less equipped to cope with the emotional stresses of the crisis, says posture expert and Alexander Technique teacher, Noel Kingsley.

Kingsley, author of “Perfect Poise, Perfect Life’, says: "Slumping down into a soft chair, or at a table with a laptop, makes us compress our insides, so we can’t breathe efficiently. 

"This squashing downwards will affect our digestion, while this lack of oxygen may affect our mood. We may feel more tired, irritable and even depressed.

"In order to be functioning well internally, as well as externally, we need to be tall and broad at our full height and stature in a very relaxed, free way."

And it’s not just me who needs to sit up straight in self-isolation. So do my children.

Like millions of other young people around the UK, my daughters Lily, 18, and Clio, 15, are also spending a long time glued to their screen for online learning lessons.

Physiotherapist Lorna Taylor, of Jolly Back, Derby, says: "There’s likely a whole host of problems being set up with the online learning children have to do at the moment because they are sitting more and they don’t have proper work stations set up.

"If a child is staying in the same position for long periods over time, the muscles in a child’s neck and back will become overworked, overstretched, overtired and weakened as their heads poke forward.

"The spine should look S-shaped from the side, with a nice lumbar curve and the head balancing on the top of the spine. Increasingly, children’s spines are looking more C-shaped.’

And take note, ladies. We women are already more vulnerable to back problems from hunching, even before lockdown-working.

One study from the University of Nevada (2018) found that women are much more likely to feel pain after tech use – with 70 per cent reporting regular pain compared to 30 per cent of men, possibly because they tend to have less overall neck and upper body strength.

So with no confirmed end in sight, what am I to do to make sure I don’t eventually emerge from lockdown looking like Quasimodo?

The key adjustment I need to make is to find a new way to look at screens so I don’t poke my head out and down, says Noel,

So, from now on, I need to raise the height of my screen to eye level, rather than stoop over it.

He also advises me to lie on the floor every day for ten minutes with my head on a small pile of books and my knees bent, to help straighten out my spine.

If I sit and stand more consciously, my spine will release, says Noel. In turn my internal organs will become less squashed and my lungs will expand more easily.

More oxygen will be delivered to my skin, giving me a better complexion that — oh joy — could throw wiping as much as ten years off my looks into the bargain, Kingsley promises earnestly.

With the decade’s worth of stress and worry this crisis has added to many of our faces in a matter of months, who wouldn’t sit up and take notice of that?

How to protect your posture during lockdown

To keep aches and pains under control during lockdown, it’s essential to work on your core, says Allardyce, who has designed a range of exercise rehab classes on his new website www.rehabme.com. Try these daily exercises in order to keep back pain at bay.

The kneeling plank

To strengthen your core, rest on your forearms and your knees. Hold this position and do not let your back arch too much. Hold the position for one minute, and repeat three times a day.

The superman

Lie on your front, and lift your opposite arm and leg, keeping them straight. Hold this position, and then relax. This exercise helps to arch your lower back while strengthening the lower back and buttock muscles. Hold the position for thirty seconds each side, and repeat three times.

The horse

Kneel on your hands and knees. Gently pull in your deep abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine. Next lift one arm in front of you, and your opposite leg behind you. This exercise strengthens the deep core muscles. Hold the position for thirty seconds each side, and repeat three times.

And for the over 70s…..

Core exercise are often trickier for older people, says Allardyce.

"The over 70s generally find it harder to get on and off the floor, which is the most common place where we do core training. So chair exercises are often preferable where your mobility is limited."

Tim suggests these alternatives.

The sit-to-stand

To strengthen your legs and core, sit upright on your chair and put your hands on each side of the chair. Gently lean forwards and use as much leg strength as you can to push yourself up to standing. Once upright, stand up straight. When you feel comfortable, slowly sit back down, guiding yourself by using your arms. Try to keep a straight spine during the sitting rather than let your back round forwards too much. Repeat ten times, twice per day.

Climbing the rope

Sit upright with good posture, and imagine you have a rope in front of you. Climb up the imaginary rope using your arms. This exercise will help improve posture and strengthen your arms and core. Do this exercise for one minute, three times per day.

Drawing back your shoulder blades

Sit upright with a good posture on a chair with no sides, resting your arms by your side. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together, and at the same time draw your arms backwards and outwards. This exercise will help strengthen your upper back and improve your posture. Hold the exercise for ten to twenty seconds, and repeat three times a day.

So, what’s the best chair for homeworking…

With the rise in home-working, major retailers like John Lewis are reporting ‘high demand’ in office furniture as we all try to create a more comfortable working environment at home.

Of course, the foundation for setting up an ergonomic workspace is the right chair.

According to posture expert, Noel Kingsley, there’s no such thing as a perfect model, so you don’t need to spend a fortune.

However, Kingsley's checklist includes making sure it’s adjustable so you can get it to the right height for you to work at the table or desk in front of you.

"The height should be set so that when typing, your hands are not higher than your elbows, but slightly lower, to avoid repetitive strain injuries to in your wrists and arms.

"If you’ve raised the chair and your feet are no longer flat on the floor, give yourself a small footrest. This will help release your hips and avoid back pain."

However, much of the work to keeping a good posture will still be down to you, says Kingsley, who advises you to sit consciously.

"Sit upright, think of freeing your neck from tension, and think ‘tall’, so you’re managing your posture as you sit." Here’s a selection of six of the best, which are currently available for delivery.

Read more: Best exercises to do at home

West Elm Slope Leather Office Chair

This minimalist leather chair promises to be comfortable to use for up to eight hours of work a day, thanks to the adjustable seat height and gently sloping angles.

£399, johnlewis.com

Argos Home Fabric Office Chair

This excellent value chair swivels and is mounted on castors, so it’s ideal for studying or working from home .It’s softer, more feminine make-over will also make it less obtrusive..

£30, argos.uk

Swivel And Tilt Pu Leather Mesh Office Racing Chair

While this chair’s bold design means it’s not the most subtle choice, this chair’s light weight and wheels make it easy to move around the home. It also comes with arm rests to support your elbows and shoulders, while the height can be adjusted by as much as ten centimetres.

£79, Neodirect.com

Malpas Brown Faux Leather Upholstered Office Chair

This faux leather office chair has a gas-lift mechanism which allows its height to be smoothly adjusted while it looks chic in any interior.

£110, habitat.co.uk

The Grace Mesh Office Chair

This chair has been designed not only to do heavy duty in an office but also to look sleek in your home. It’s also packed full of features to allow you to make adjustments so you can personalise your sitting experience.

From £169 plus VAT, century-office.co.uk