Back pain at work isn’t just a problem for people doing heavy lifting or manual work. Plenty of people working at a desk on a daily basis will also develop sore backs, neck pain and other musculoskeletal issues at some point in their lives.
According to recent research by Posturite’s partner Fellowes, 67% of employees reported pain or discomfort they believed was caused by their workstation setup, with back pain affecting 53% of respondents.
However, there is a great deal that managers can do to help prevent musculoskeletal problems in the workplace. It all starts with awareness about back care.
This is the purpose of this FAQ: to raise awareness and help managers and team leaders, especially in small companies, who may not have a dedicated health and safety or occupational health department. You are not expected to be a medical expert, but as a manager, you have a crucial role in helping to prevent and address back pain, to keep your team healthy and productive. This blog answers 13 back care questions that the Posturite team hear most often, along with practical steps to keep your team healthy, comfortable and productive.
1. Is it really possible to avoid back pain in an office job, and how?
Managers have an opportunity to make a real difference in preventing back pain at work. It’s perhaps not always possible to avoid it altogether. With the right approach, you can help reduce the risk of developing pain and keep employees productive. Here are a few key strategies to manage back pain at work:
- Don't treat Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments as a mere legal formality. Instead, use them as a genuine health and wellness check-up for your team. You could start with DSE self-assessments for your staff, and then book a Face to Face or Virtual DSE Workstation Assessment if needed.
- Invest in quality office ergonomic products, like chairs, desks and monitor accessories. And, most importantly, ensure they are properly set up for each individual. Read on for guidance on this setup.
- Build a culture of movement and promote active working with or without sit-stand desks. Encourage your staff to stay active while working. Whether it's going for a walk at lunch, taking microbreaks or using the Pomodoro technique, it's important to incorporate movement throughout the day to change positions, stretch, and give eyes a rest.
- Foster open and empathetic communication so staff feel safe to raise concerns about pain or discomfort early on.
- If your team are permitted to work from home some of the time or all of the time, you are still responsible for ensuring they have a safe environment. Your duty of care to your team members for safe, ergonomic good practice remains the same no matter where they are working.
2. How do you adjust an office chair to prevent or alleviate back pain?
The correct chair adjustments for individuals can help prevent or alleviate back pain and discomfort while working. Here's how the ergonomic chairs in your office should be adjusted for maximum comfort for most people:
- Seat height: The hips should be slightly higher than the knees, with feet supported on the floor (or on a footrest), and the shoulders should be relaxed.
- Seat depth: Slide the seat forward or back so the thighs are well supported, with a small gap between the chair edge and the back of the knees.
- Backrest height: Adjust so the lumbar curve of the backrest sits comfortably in the small of the lower back.
- Backrest angle: If the model of chair enables it, tilt the backrest slightly (about 5–10° from upright) so that the backrest can provide support without pushing the body forward.
- Armrests: If you have armrests (and they’re not essential), set them just under your elbows when typing, with shoulders relaxed. If the chair allows depth adjustment, bring them forward or back to suit your desk.
For more tips, follow our step-by-step guide on how to adjust an office chair in just 60 seconds.
3. What is the best sitting position in the office to avoid back pain?
‘Maintaining’ a good posture isn’t really about sitting up straight; it’s about ensuring your back is well supported in a good position. To help your employees maintain good sitting positions, you should:
- Encourage staff to sit with their bottom at the back of the chair, back in contact with the backrest, and the chair close to the desk.
- Provide adjustable ergonomic chairs appropriate for your staff, with lumbar support that maintains the lower spine’s natural curve. If adjustments aren’t possible, a lumbar cushion can sometimes help in the short term.
- Armrests should be at the right height; if they force people to lean forward or perch, adjust or remove them.
- Keep the main monitor directly in front, with the top at eye level, and about arm’s length away. A monitor arm, block, or document holder can help keep everything at a comfortable height and reduce strain.
4. What are the worst posture mistakes in the office?
- Perching on the front of the seat of the office chair
- Sitting at the wrong height
- Looking up and down too much when reading or using at the keyboard
- Armrests are at the wrong height or are too wide
- Screens are too low, high, or far away
Many of these can lead to backache. Explore the solutions to these bad sitting posture errors.
5. What is the best office chair for employees suffering from lower back pain?
The best chair for lower back pain and for back pain in general is one that supports your spine in a healthy position and can be adjusted to fit the person.
A DSE Assessor can make a personalised recommendation for a chair if someone is experiencing back pain at work, by getting more detail about the pain and taking some measurements. Simply book a Virtual DSE Workstation Assessment or Face To Face DSE Workstation Assessment. Both are available for office or home office environments.
If you’d like to choose the office chair, look for the following ergonomic chair features for preventing and easing back pain at work:
- Height adjustment: Easy to raise or lower via a lever and gas stem.
- Stable base and suitable wheels: A five-star base for stability, with castors that match your flooring.
- Adjustable backrest: Separate from the seat, with height adjustment to match body shape.
- Lower back support: A tapered lumbar area that supports the inward curve of the spine.
- Supported movement: A backrest that tilts and adjusts to ensure support as positions change.
- Adjustable armrests: So the person can sit close to the desk without leaning forward and losing back support.
- Waterfall seat edge: Prevents pressure on the backs of the knees.
- Adjustable seat depth: Offers thigh support while leaving a small gap behind the knees.
6. What are the steps to an ergonomic office desk setup?
An ergonomic desk setup helps people work in a healthy posture, reduces strain, and promotes movement - all key elements in reducing office back pain. Two important elements are:
- The desk being the right height to achieve the correct height positioning. A height-adjustable desk can also give office workers the opportunity to switch between sitting and standing. Then your team members can break up periods in one position and help boost their productivity.
- An adjustable monitor arm to make it easy to set the computer screen at the right height, angle, and distance to help prevent neck and back strain.
A risk assessment is required for DSE workers and this should include hot-desking environments.
7. Is a DSE Assessment mandatory?
Yes. In the UK, Display Screen Equipment assessments are a legal requirement under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 for members of staff who habitually use display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work.
A DSE assessment should consider:
- The entire workstation: equipment, furniture, and overall environment.
- The tasks that are being carried out.
- Any specific needs of the individual, such as adjustments for staff with disabilities.
8. What has movement got to do with preventing workplace backpain?
Movement is the best defence when aiming to avoid back pain for most people. Office workers should aim to:
- Move at least every 30 minutes, and take a break or make a change of activity at least every hour.
- Incorporate targeted stretches for the lower and upper back (and even forearms due to device use).
Exercises should be performed within a comfortable range, differentiating between discomfort (may be acceptable during stretching) and pain (should be avoided). Small, regular movements go a long way in preventing and managing office back pain.
9. If poor posture leads to pain, is there anything that can help?
Improving posture can make a real difference, but it’s not an overnight fix. The first step should be to identify the postural issues contributing to pain (e.g., screen position, sitting posture). Then implement improvements in posture over time (minimum six weeks for significant change) to reduce strain.
Remember that movement and changing postures is key.
Don’t just focus on the office, though. Invite employees to consider factors outside the workplace (e.g., home setup, hunching over a mobile phone) that might contribute to poor posture.
10. When to offer adjustments and when to get professional advice?
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessors are a great first line of support, providing initial advice on posture and movement, a bit like First Aid for workstation health.
Good workstation advice and encouraging breaks is always appropriate. But leave clinical diagnoses and treatments to healthcare professionals. Encourage staff members to get an appointment with their doctor or health professional.
11. What should you do if an employee has acute back pain?
Treatment decisions should always be guided by a healthcare professional such as a GP.
12. What are the main reasons for back pain at work?
In an office setting, the risk factors could be:
- Stress, because it can trigger involuntary muscle tension in the neck, shoulders and back.
- Unsuitable office equipment.
- Cramped work areas.
- Poor ergonomic workstation setup.
- Unsupportive seating for inputting tasks, such as sofas or soft armchairs.
- Poor posture, such as hunching, slouching, or sitting in one position for too long.
- Bad posture combined with too little movement or exercise.
As a manager, you can tackle this by ensuring ergonomic workstation setups, giving people enough space to work comfortably, encouraging regular breaks and movement, and addressing workload pressures that fuel stress.
Find additional information on managing back pain at work in our webinar ‘Back pain: keep it simple, feel better’:
13. Is a sit-stand desk always necessary?
Not essential, what matters most is giving people the possibility to move, and perhaps for people with little task variation, the ability to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. A sit-stand desk is one very good way to facilitate this, but other methods like standing during calls or walk-and-talk meetings can also be effective. Remember that standing for long periods can be as problematic as sitting for long periods. That’s why the Posturite team use the term ‘sit-stand desk’ instead of ‘standing desk’.
Proactivity with workplace back pain prevention
Spending long periods of time in the same position at a desk can lead to health problems.
In fact, in 2023/24, musculoskeletal disorders were one of the leading causes of work-related ill health, responsible for 7.8 million lost working days. For employees dealing with back pain at work, the average time off was more than two working weeks. That’s a big hit to productivity and to people’s wellbeing.
Managers play a key role in helping to prevent these issues and in helping to stop existing pain from getting worse. Creating a safe, comfortable work environment isn’t just a legal responsibility; it’s an investment in productivity, morale, and the long-term wellbeing of your team.
If you’re unsure where to start, DSE workstation assessments with Posturite's expert assessors for your team is a simple first step. They will highlight risks, suggest practical adjustments and suitable equipment:
Now get your new guide 'The Employer's Guide To Reducing Back Pain In The Workplace'.
