One of the most common injurys and complaints I get and have had for many years is lower back pain, usually caused from sitting at a desk all day every day.
So why is that? And what can you do to help?
Tight hamstrings. The hamstring group is made up of three muscles the bicep femoris is the most lateral of the hamstrings and has two heads a superficial long head and a deeper short head. The semitendinosus lies superficial to the deeper semimembranosus, both of which are located more medially on the posterior thigh. All have the same origin and insertion. The origin is the ischial tuberosity and femur and the insertion is the tibia and fibula located along the posterior thigh, so when your hamstring group is tight they can contribute to lower back pain due to their connection to the pelvis. When your hamstrings are tight, they pull on your pelvis, causing it to tilt backward. This backward tilt forces your lower back to arch excessively, putting strain on the muscles and ligaments in the area. Over time, this can lead to pain, stiffness, and even injury in your lower back.
So what can you do?
Get a stand up desk and do your work standing as much as possible. or alternatively split your working day up in to hours one hour stand and the next hour sit. This will stop you hamstrings from constantly being contracted and ease of some of the constant tension your causing on your hamstrings.
Regular massage and stretching that target your hamstrings can help alleviate tightness and improve flexibility, reducing the risk of lower back pain.
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