Blog Post Title Three
Desk Job to Deadlift: Preventing & Recovering from Office-Related Back Pain
If you spend most of your day at a desk, chances are you’ve experienced some level of back or neck pain. It’s one of the most common reasons people in the Hills District seek osteopathic treatment.
The good news?
Most desk-related pain is highly treatable — and even preventable — with the right guidance.
At M-Health Osteopathy & Sports Medicine in Pennant Hills, we help office workers reduce pain, restore movement, and build the resilience needed to work AND train without flare-ups.
Why Sitting Creates Pain (Even If You Have “Good Posture”)
Sitting isn’t harmful.
But sitting without movement for long periods can overload specific tissues.
Here’s what typically happens:
The hip flexors tighten and shorten
The glutes become less active
The deep core switches off
The upper back rounds
The neck carries more load
Blood flow reduces
Joint stiffness increases
Standing desks help a little, but they don’t solve the bigger issue:
Your body is designed to move, not hold any one position all day.
The Real Cause of Desk-Related Pain
It’s not bad posture.
It’s not weak muscles (though they may contribute).
It’s not your chair.
And it’s definitely not your age.
The real cause is capacity mismatch:
The load on your body exceeds what your tissues can handle.
Because you’re:
Doing long stretches of static sitting
Then suddenly asking your body to train in the gym after work
Then sitting again for the rest of the night
This sequence creates a perfect storm for pain.
The 3 Most Common Office-Worker Pain Patterns
1. Lower Back Tightness
Often caused by:
Stiff hips
Glutes not engaging
Deep core fatigue
Overactive spinal muscles compensating
Stress & prolonged stillness
2. Neck & Shoulder Pain
Usually from:
Forward-leaning posture
Tight upper traps
Weak mid-back stabilisers
Stress holding patterns
Screen height mismatches
3. Mid-Back Stiffness
Driven by:
Reduced thoracic movement
Shallow breathing
Poor desk setup
Lack of rotation or extension in the day
How Osteopathy Helps Office Workers
Osteopathic treatment is tailored to your body and the underlying cause of your pain.
At M-Health, we typically combine:
Hands-on treatment
Joint mobilisations
Myofascial release
Functional movement retraining
NeuFit/Neubie therapy (to improve activation)
Laser therapy (for inflammation & tissue healing)
Strength & load progression
Our aim is simple: reduce pain fast, restore movement, then build capacity.
Small Daily Habits That Reduce Desk-Related Pain
You don’t need perfect posture — you need variety.
Here are strategies we teach our patients:
1. Move every 30–45 minutes
Stand up, walk, stretch, rotate, breathe deeply.
2. Change positions throughout the day
Sit, stand, lean, shift, perch — variety is key.
3. Make your workstation fit you
Elbows at 90 degrees, screen at eye level, feet supported.
4. Strengthen key muscle groups
Glutes, mid-back, core, hip stabilisers.
5. Use micro-breaks strategically
Even 20–30 seconds helps.
These small changes prevent flare-ups and help you work pain-free.
Training With Back Pain: What’s Safe?
Most people don’t need to stop training.
Modify instead of stopping:
Reduce volume
Reduce load
Change exercises
Work around symptoms
Avoid positions that provoke pain temporarily
Staying active improves recovery.
When You Should See an Osteopath
Book an assessment if you experience:
Pain that keeps recurring
Pain lasting >2 weeks
Significant stiffness
Numbness/tingling
Pain when sitting or standing
Pain after training
Pain affecting sleep
Headaches related to posture
Early treatment = faster recovery.
Ready to Work & Train Without Pain?
We help office workers across Pennant Hills, Thornleigh, Cherrybrook & the Hills District stay active and pain-free.
👉 Book an appointment at M-Health Osteopathy & Sports Medicine
Free parking available. Evening appointments available.
