Tips To Relieve Lower Back Pain When Sitting In An Office Chair
How To Identify The Culprit And Which Drugs Injections And Habits Will Bring You The Most Relief
by Alison Gwinn, AARP, September 20, 2019
En español | Oh, my aching knees! If that’s your daily refrain, whether you’re walking the dog, climbing stairs or just sleeping, you’re not alone.
For many, the culprit behind that nagging soreness is osteoarthritis, which affects an estimated 31 million Americans quite often, in this particular joint according to the Arthritis Association.
But there are other common causes of knee pain, stemming from the fact that knees are our largest, most complex joints. Knee joints allow you to stand up straight, walk stairs and get up and down from sitting, says Daniel Saris, an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic and professor of orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Medical School. But they are also the most difficult joint because they’re not stable. Hip joints and ankles are both pretty stable by themselves, but the knee is just three bones trying to be good friends, and they need muscles and ligaments for stability.”
Knee pain is not to be taken lightly. A Japanese study, published last year in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found a link between the onset of knee pain in people 65 or older and depression. And a recent study from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Thurston Arthritis Research Center and Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that knee pain in men and women over age 45 correlated with higher rates of death.
Office Ergonomics And Knee Pain
Knee pain is often associated with those who lead more active lifestyles, especially runners and cyclists after all, one common affliction is called Runners Knee for a reason! However, just because you dont get up at the crack of dawn to go for a jog every morning or devote time on the weekend to training for your next half-marathon doesnt mean that knee pain cant be a bother for you too. Because your knees carry so much of the bodys weight and are used so frequently, even people who lead relatively inactive lifestyles still need to take care of their knees. While simply sitting still too much can lead to knee pain and stiffness, staying in the wrong position for extended periods of time can be rough on the knees as well.
CommonCausesofKneePainInTheOffice
In particular, office environments can often be hard on the knees. While you might not think it, sitting down all day can actually be a very stressful position to maintain, especially on your joints like those in your back and knees. There are a whole host of ways that office workers may find themselves dealing with knee pain, and here are a few of the most common:
TheTheatreSign:HowTotellIfYouAreHardOnYourKnees
TreatingandPreventingKneePain
Since most kinds of knee pain that afflict office workers are caused by some kind of inactivity, getting more active is the best way to correct it!
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Is It Normal To Have Sharp Pain In Your Knee
Random and sharp pain in the knee that comes and goes is irritating. It seems safe for a while and nothing to worry about. But you shouldnt ignore other possibilities. Sudden sharp pain in the knee that comes and goes for no reason maybe frustrating. After some time, it went by itself and you can do your activities as usual.
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How To Relieve Knee Pain Through Stretches And Exercises You Can Do At Home
Your knees are two of the largest, most heavily used joints in your body. It’s no wonder, then, that knee pain is both pretty common and pretty hard to ignore.
“In many cases, knee pain can be treated at home via stretching and strengthening exercises,” says Dr. Kenneth Brooks, orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee surgery at Houston Methodist. “However, some types of knee pain can also be the result of a serious injury that requires evaluation and treatment by a specialist.”
Whether your knee pain is due to aging, overuse, muscle tightness or muscle weakness, Dr. Brooks is here to help you understand how to alleviate your pain, as well as the signs indicating that it may be a sign of serious injury.
What Should I Do About Runner’s Knee
To help knee pain at home, Andy recommends applying ice to the knee and stretching.
Hold ice on the painful area for around 20 minutes a few times a day. Never put ice directly on your skin.
To stretch the area, Andy recommends lying on your side with your bad leg on top.
Bend your top leg so your foot goes back towards your bottom, then hold it there with your hand and keep both knees touching.
Hold the stretch for at least 45 seconds, breathing deeply and feeling the stretch in the thigh. Repeat this around 6 times a day.
If the pain’s severe or the knee’s swollen, see a GP straight away.
If your knee pain is not severe, stop running and get it checked by a GP or physiotherapist if the pain does not go away after a week.
They can also recommend stretches or exercises to help you recover.
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How Can I Alleviate Knee Pains While Sitting
There are some things you can work on to prevent knee pains.
Another idea, which may seem very odd, is to look into a standing desk. This keeps you from sitting too long and bending your body at unnatural angles.
If these adjustments dont help with your pain, reach out to our staff so we can evaluate your pains and struggles.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome: A Common Source Of Knee Pain
RAZIB KHAUND, M.D., Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island
SHARON H. FLYNN, M.D., Oregon Medical Group/Hospital Service, Eugene, Oregon
Am Fam Physician. 2005 Apr 15 71:1545-1550.
Iliotibial band syndrome is a common knee injury. The most common symptom is lateral knee pain caused by inflammation of the distal portion of the iliotibial band. The iliotibial band is a thick band of fascia that crosses the hip joint and extends distally to insert on the patella, tibia, and biceps femoris tendon. In some athletes, repetitive flexion and extension of the knee causes the distal iliotibial band to become irritated and inflamed resulting in diffuse lateral knee pain. Iliotibial band syndrome can cause significant morbidity and lead to cessation of exercise. Although iliotibial band syndrome is easily diagnosed clinically, it can be extremely challenging to treat. Treatment requires active patient participation and compliance with activity modification. Most patients respond to conservative treatment involving stretching of the iliotibial band, strengthening of the gluteus medius, and altering training regimens. Corticosteroid injections should be considered if visible swelling or pain with ambulation persists for more than three days after initiating treatment. A small percentage of patients are refractory to conservative treatment and may require surgical release of the iliotibial band.
Strength of Recommendations
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Exercises To Reduce Knee Pain
Knee pain is one of the most common orthopedic conditions for which people seek medical treatment. It includes pain felt behind and around the knee cap, especially during activities like stair climbing, squatting, running, and walking while carrying a heavy load. Knee pain can prevent you from participating in your favorite activities and performing daily tasks. Without proper treatment, it can linger for years.
Knee pain can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which include knee stiffness, incorrect positioning of the knee cap at rest or with movement, flat feet, improper exercise form, and weakness of the muscles that control the hip and knee.
A physical therapist can work with you to address your knee pain. After an evaluation, a physical therapist will design an individualized comprehensive treatment program to address the specific factors causing your knee pain. You can contact a physical therapist directly for an evaluation.
To find a physical therapist in your area, visit Find a PT.
These exercises are proven by research to reduce pain and improve your ability to participate in the activities you love.
Consult your health care provider before starting these exercises to determine if they are right for you. If you experience any symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness at any time, you should stop immediately. These exercises are provided for educational information only.
Use These Tip To Prevent Knee Pain And Stiffness When Sitting For Long Periods
Contrarily, getting up to move more often varies the position of your kneecap
Women are often trained to sit “lady-like” for modesty reasons, but if you’re not sitting in public while wearing a skirt, there’s really no reason to do this.
Crossing your knees when sitting can make your inner thigh muscles stiff and over stretches the muscle on the outside of your knee and thigh. Over time, these muscle imbalances can cause:
I hope you find the tips to be useful! If you try these things and still have knee pain when sitting for long periods, or text us, at 314-941-3970 and we can further discuss your specific problem.
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Exercises To Relieve Anterior Knee Pain
Knee pain that occurs due to muscle weakness or tightness can be hard to pin down, but one thing is for sure: Anterior knee pain is common.
“When someone is experiencing anterior knee pain, he or she will often grab or point to the kneecap when describing where the pain is located,” says Dr. Brooks. “Generally speaking, it’s pain around or under the kneecap.”
According to Dr. Brooks, anterior knee pain is most commonly caused by arthritis under the kneecap or tightness or weakness in one or more of the following muscles:
- Core muscles as this places additional weight-bearing stress on the lower back and quadriceps muscles
- Gluteal/hip muscles as this causes the hips to turn inward, placing a sideways stress on the kneecap and quadriceps muscles and tendon
- Hamstring muscles as this causes an imbalance in the muscle forces across the knee, placing more stress on the quadriceps muscles for knee movement and stability
- Quadriceps muscles as weakness places more stress on the bone and joint itself to maintain stability tightness prevents full movement or excursion of the tendons, applying greater pressure to the kneecap
In addition, anterior knee pain can be caused by IT band tightness in runners, cyclists and hikers.
Closed-chain leg strengthening includes exercises where your foot remains in contact with the surface you’re exercising on, such as:
- Walking
- A feeling of buckling or giving out
- Being stuck in one position and unable to release your knee from that position
Working At A Desk For Long Periods Can Cause Dead Butt Syndrome
You may not realize it, but we rely on comfort while sitting every day. When youre sitting on the couch, sitting at the dining table, sitting at your desk chair, or sitting in the car or on the bus, you rely on the comfort. However, if you have butt pain from an injured tailbone, you may experience pain and intense discomfort while sitting.
This pain can affect your day-to-day activities and make sitting difficult. Luckily, there are various ways to help soothe butt pain and promote comfort while sitting during the day. Heres what you need to know about achieving relief for butt pain while sitting and how you can get started today!
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Do I Need Surgery For My Lower Back Pain And Sciatica
One common issue thats prevalent throughout our culture is that surgery is necessary and beneficial in cases where theres significant pain. While this is true in some cases and you should always consult with your doctor, sciatica and lower back pain typically does not require surgery. The key to determining if you need surgery is to first determine the actual cause of your pain. Just because you have a herniated disc, doesnt mean that it is the source of your pain. There are many people, young and old, that have herniated discs with no pain.
Chronic Degenerative Meniscal Tear
If you’ve experienced swelling, joint pain, and a sensation that your knee is sticking or locking, the problem could be a chronic degenerative meniscal tear.
A meniscus is a rubbery cartilage cushion in your knee that helps to pad the joint. Each of your knees has two of them. “Sometimes these structures are torn during an injury, but in degenerative cases, the cartilage just becomes frayed and worn over time, resulting in a breakdown or tearing of the tissue,” says Dr. Breslow. When a meniscus is frayed, ragged edges or loose pieces may get stuck in the joint when it’s moving, causing a sensation that your knee is locking up. If this is happening, be sure to see your doctor.
How to treat it: Surgery is no longer the first-line treatment for this condition, says Dr. Breslow. “It used to be that most people got referred for an arthroscopic procedure to remove the torn meniscus or repair it,” she says. “But now research is showing that, in many cases, the condition can be treated non-operatively just as effectively.”
Clinicians are now more likely to recommend treating the condition with physical therapy. As is the case with patellofemoral pain syndrome, building up the muscles around the joint and in other parts of the body can ease pain, without the risk of complications. However, you may need surgery if a piece of the meniscus is interfering with the motion of the joint.
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What Causes Knee Pain When Sitting
The most common cause of knee pain when you sit is called patellofemoral pain syndrome. This is a common condition, especially among athletes, teens, and those who engage in manual labor. No one knows the exact cause of the problem however, it may be due to being overweight, using the knees too much, an injury or a malalignment of the knee cap. The pain is worse when sitting because the kneecap is not in proper alignment when the person is sitting down.
Other less common causes of knee pain when sitting include:
- Osgood Schlatters disease. This hurts in the front of the knee over the tibial tubercle because this is where the inferior patellar ligament inserts. The pain is more common among young males who have undergone a growth spurt. Just touching the tibial tubercle when sitting can result in pain.
- Osteoarthritis. There is wear and tear on the joint so that the bones touch one another without cartilage in between. This results in extreme pain in the knee.
- Knee bursitis. The fluid filled sac between the tendons, muscles and bones becomes inflamed and can enlarge. Because it is inflamed, there can be redness and tenderness of the area just beneath the patella.
- A Bakers cyst. The pain is from inflammation of the bursa behind the knee and, when you sit, you put extra pressure on the inflamed bursa and it hurts more. The pain is better when standing up because the bursa doesnt have so much pressure on it. It can be drained if it doesnt go away on its own.