What's Really Making Your Back Hurt

MYTH #2 Sitting up straight keeps your spine in line
While your mom was right to stop you from hunching, holding yourself too erectly isn't as good for your back as you think. "It puts a lot of stress on your disks, especially when you do it for long periods of time," says Santhosh Thomas, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and medical director of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Spine Health in Westlake, Ohio. In fact, researchers at Woodend Hospital in Scotland found that people who sat at a 90-degree angle strained their spines more than those who reclined at 135 degrees.

"A few times a day, adjust your posture," recommends Shah. "Lean back in your chair with your feet on the ground and make sure there's a slight curve in your lower back." That way, he explains, you'll distribute your body weight more evenly, as your shoulders and upper back muscles will take some of the pressure off your spine. If you often find yourself slouching at your desk at the end of the workday, consider using a cushion to support your lower back and keep your spine in alignment.

What may be even more important than sitting correctly is taking frequent breaks from your desk throughout the day, says Chang. To boost circulation in your back muscles and lessen fatigue, stand up every half hour and take a fiveminute stroll or stretch every hour. He advises doing some of your work while standing up to give your spine a little reprieve. "Take a phone call on your feet," says Chang, "or place a report on top of a waist-high filing cabinet so you can stand and read it."