If you experience frequent back pain, you know how challenging it can be to tolerate daily activities. Sitting or standing for a long time at work can be painful, disrupting your focus and causing emotional distress. At Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC), we help patients with industry-leading back pain treatment.
In this article, back pain surgeon Dr. Nima Salari will give his thoughts on how to get rid of back pain during daily activities. This guide to back pain offers practical, actionable steps you can take to relieve upper and lower back pain. If your back pain worsens, contact us to schedule an appointment. We can help you relieve back pain with minimally invasive treatments.
Dr. Nima Salari is a Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Spine Surgeon. He is one of several prestigious surgeons who work at DISC and administer ultra-minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery. Highly recommended by his patients for a kind and caring demeanor, Dr. Salari has been recognized as an AZ Top Doctor from 2022-2025.
He completed his residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a fellowship at Stanford University. In addition to clinical work, Dr. Salari has helped to design surgical instruments and implants. His publications and teaching courses help other medical professionals learn about the benefits of endoscopic spine surgery and cervical artificial disc replacement.
Here are four back pain tips from Dr. Salari about handling back pain as a surgeon.
As a spine surgeon, I spend long hours standing in the operating room. Unfortunately, standing in static positions like that for too long can strain your back. One of the most powerful tools for managing back pain is taking the time to sit down when you can.
Standing for prolonged periods compresses the spine. It tightens your hip flexors and increases fatigue in your postural muscles. When you switch between sitting and standing, you offload pressure from your lumbar discs, which allows your spine to decompress.
Whether you work in healthcare, retail, teaching or any profession that keeps you on your feet, the key is not to stay in one position too long. Sit down for a few minutes every 30 to 60 minutes. You can use these breaks as an opportunity to stretch and change your posture. Moving can also help you re-engage your core muscles.
Self-awareness is an important step toward making healthy changes. If you’re noticing back pain, pay attention to how you feel throughout the day. You should keep a journal so you have a written record of your daily activities and pain levels.
Over time, you can find patterns that give you insight into your pain. You might notice that your back always hurts after you sit or stand for too long. Maybe it’s a certain activity that sparks increased pain. Sleep patterns and stress can also affect the amount of pain you feel.
Paying attention is the first step toward recovery. Once you’ve gathered enough information, you’ll have a road map that tells you what might help the most with your pain. The next step is to make lifestyle changes that help reduce pain throughout your day.
When your back hurts, your first thought isn’t usually what’s on your feet. However, your footwear can significantly reduce back pain.
Supportive shoes cushion impact and offer arch support. They reduce the stress transferred up to your spine. I personally recommend shoes with soft, shock-absorbing soles. You can look for shoes that are designed to reduce joint stress and support natural foot mechanics. They’ll help align your entire kinetic chain, from your feet to your knees, hips and spine.
If you don’t want to invest in new shoes, standing on a foam anti-fatigue mat can also reduce back stress when standing. In the OR, we use padded mats because they reduce pressure on joints and minimize spinal fatigue. Standing on a softer surface makes it easier for me to protect my back while I’m helping patients with their back pain!
If you stand a lot at work, try getting a step stool and placing one foot on it.
Elevating one foot slightly flexes the hip. It rotates your pelvis and reduces lumbar lordosis, or the inward curve of your lower back. This takes pressure off your spinal joints and paraspinal muscles, giving your back a break while you continue standing.
I use this tactic in surgery, and you can do the same in your workspace. It’s best practice to alternate your feet every few minutes so both sides of your back and pelvis get a break. Better yet, alternate sitting and standing with your foot elevated.
At some point, you may question whether lifestyle changes are enough. For people with minimal pain, they might be enough to calm inflammation and reduce pain. However, if your back pain continues to increase and makes it difficult to enjoy your life, it’s time to consider medical support.
At Desert Institute for Spine Care, we treat back pain with minimally invasive surgeries and other treatments. It’s our mission to help people thrive and not just survive. We want you to feel good again, and we have the expertise to get you there. If you think spinal treatment could help with your pain, contact us to learn more.
Desert Institute for Spine Care has been the recognized worldwide leader in minimally invasive spine surgery for over 20 years. Our world-class surgeons are fellowship-trained and board-certified in orthopedic spine surgery. Together, they have 50 years of experience treating spine health and are recognized as innovative thought leaders in the medical industry.
At DISC, we’ve helped many patients avoid spine fusion surgery with minimally invasive treatments. We are the innovator and recognized leader in endoscopic spine surgery and also offer artificial disc replacement. To access our care, people come from Canada and other countries to see our specialists in Phoenix, AZ.
We regularly treat professional athletes who trust us to provide the highest quality spinal care. Our clients speak highly of our professionalism, compassion and communication — we truly make patients feel at ease, listen to what they have to say and consult with them to find the best procedure for their unique needs.
You don’t have to face back pain alone — there are options to help reduce back pain and improve quality of life. At DISC, our surgeons are ready to help relieve your back pain so you can enjoy life again. We are a worldwide leader and pioneer of ultra-minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery, and we also offer care for a wide range of spine conditions, including:
We empathize with your pain and are passionate about helping you improve comfort, mobility and function. When you partner with us, we’ll help you find the least invasive solutions and craft a treatment plan that is personalized to your specific spinal condition. Our surgeons and staff can answer your questions to reduce any anxiety before surgery.
Ready to take the next step towards managing your back pain? Schedule an appointment with our office today. We also offer telehealth consulting services for long-distance patients, although all surgeries are completed locally in our Phoenix facility.
