Sciatica is one of the most common, yet misunderstood, types of pain out there, and as many as 40% of people will get it during their lifetime.
If you suffer from sciatica, you’ll know just how debilitating the pain can be, especially during long hours spent at work.
In this blog, we'll explore the various ways to cope with sciatica at work, and why height-adjustable standing desks might be a game-changer in managing your symptoms and improving your overall comfort throughout the day.
But first things first…
What Exactly Is Sciatica?
In short - sciatica is where the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back, through the hips and glutes and down to your feet, is irritated or compressed.
The main symptoms of sciatica are pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in your buttocks, back of your leg or toes, and these symptoms may become worse when moving, sneezing or coughing.
There can be a number of different causes of sciatica, one of the most common being a herniated disc, where the soft centre of a spinal disc pushes through a crack in the tougher exterior casing, pressing on the nerve. A condition called spinal stenosis, where the spinal canal narrows, compressing the nerves, can also cause sciatica.
Injury to the lower back, hips, or buttocks can also result in sciatica.How to Cope With Sciatica at Work
Coping with sciatica at work can be a real challenge, especially if your job involves prolonged sitting or standing, for example at a desk job or retail.Thankfully, however, there are a number of strategies you can employ to help manage your symptoms and minimise discomfort throughout your working day. These include:
- Take frequent breaks - One of the best things you can do to prevent stiffness and reduce pressure is to get up and move every 30 minutes to an hour, even if it’s just a simple walk around the office or a quick 5-minute stretch.
- Practise good posture - Crossing your legs can exacerbate nerve compression, so make sure to keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and feet flat on the floor.
- Apply hot/cold therapy - If your workplace allows, apply a hot or cold pack to your lower back for 10-15 minutes at a time. This will help to relieve pain and inflammation.
- Use an ergonomic chair - We highly recommend using a chair that provides good lumbar support to maintain the natural curve of your spine, such as an adjustable ergonomic chair. Being able to adjust the chair can also help you position your hips slightly above your knees, which can, in turn, help to reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve.
- Use a standing desk - Standing is a great way to reduce pressure on the lower back and improve circulation, so, if you can, use an adjustable standing desk to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
Does Sitting Down Actually Make Sciatica Worse?
There are a number of things that can worsen sciatica pain, including wearing uncomfortable shoes, inactivity and being overweight. But one of the most common triggers is sitting down too much.
Sitting puts a lot of pressure on your glute muscles, lower back, and sciatic nerve, which is why you should always try to move around to give your sciatic nerve a break, and to allow blood to flow to the area.
Anything that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve will make the pain worse.
4 Ways Standing Desks are Good for Sciatica
1. They Reduce the Pressure on Your Lower Back
When sitting down, you naturally apply pressure to your sciatic nerves and the surrounding muscles. Over time, this pressure can turn into an excessive strain that can turn into pain, with data showing that the tension on spinal discs when sitting increased as much as 40% compared to standing.Standing, on the other hand, distributes your body weight more evenly across your feet and legs, and this reduced compression on the spinal discs can help decrease the likelihood of nerve irritation, providing relief from sciatica symptoms.
This is why a standing desk can be a great tool for sciatica, as the alternation between sitting and standing naturally helps you to reduce the pressure.
Shop our wide selection of standing desks here, including corner, manual and premium standing desks.
2. They Help Improve Your Posture
As mentioned in the point above, a standing desk can help you maintain a more neutral spine position, which naturally reduces the strain on your lower back.
If sitting for long periods of time, especially in a non-ergonomic chair, it often leads to slouching or hunching over, which flattens the natural curve of the lumbar spine and can increase pressure on the discs and nerves, potentially worsening sciatica.
Standing encourages you to keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and head aligned over your spine, reducing the risk of slouching and putting pressure on the lumbar region.
Learn more about how standing desks can help improve posture.
3. They Enhance Blood Circulation Around Your Body
Another benefit of using a standing desk for sciatica is that they enhance blood circulation around the body.
When standing up, as mentioned in point number 1, you naturally shift your weight and move around, which naturally stimulates blood circulation around your body. While they’re only small movements, they improve the flow of blood and oxygen to the lower back and legs, helping to reduce inflammation and pain associated with sciatica.
Enhanced circulation can help to keep your muscles, tendons, and ligaments more flexible, which is essential for maintaining a healthy range of motion and preventing the lower back from becoming too rigid.4. They Facilitate Ergonomic Adjustments
Too much of anything isn’t great, and this is even the case for standing up.
Standing desks are often adjustable, allowing you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day by simply pressing an electric button or manually winding a crank. Learn more about electric vs manual standing desks.
Having this flexibility helps you avoid the negative effects of prolonged sitting or standing, such as increased lower back pain or leg discomfort, both of which can worsen sciatica.
And there we have it! We hope that this article has effectively highlighted how standing desks can be a valuable tool in managing the pain and other symptoms of sciatica.
That said, it’s still important to mention that a standing desk may not be suitable for every single person suffering with sciatica, especially those who have other medical conditions, injuries or physical limitations.
If you do suffer with any medical condition, it's always recommended to consult with a doctor or physical therapist before making any major changes to your work setup.
Need help choosing the perfect standing desk for your workplace or home office? Get in contact with our expert team with any queries and check out our extensive range of standing desks here.
Our desks come with a 7 year warranty, 30 day risk free return, as well as access to a UK-based customer service team to answer any questions that you might have.
Otherwise, our standing desk blog provides more useful tips on using a standing desk for a more balanced lifestyle. Feel free to contact us with any questions, with the handy live chat feature on our site, or via email at info@ergodesks.co.uk.
