Buttocks Pain While Sitting: 9 Ways to Feel Better

If you find yourself sitting for most hours of the day with a terrible pain in your lower back and buttocks, then here are some helpful tips and preventative measures to ensure back strength and mobility. Sitting for many hours of the day can cause long term damage to the body if there is no action taken.

Some methods for relief include stretching, adding a coccyx support cushion to your office chair, and even doing some minimal strengthening exercises to support mobility and back strength throughout the workday.

Cases reported in a study by the Washington Post show that the average American sits a total of 6.5 hours a day. Sitting for a long period of time has been shown to weaken muscle and bone, and may even increase your risk of gaining weight.

You may be looking to improve your overall levels of comfort during your new position working from home, your time spent taking online classes or working in a traditional office. 

In any case, read below for ways to combat pain while sitting!

Why Should You Be Concerned?

Sitting for extended periods of time may leave you prone to pain and injury in the end. Sitting without stretching or taking care of the pain may cause conditions like sciatica and bruising. 

Sciatica is a sharp pain that runs from your lower back through your buttocks and down your leg. Sciatica is a result of damaging your nerves often caused by the conditions that require sitting for long periods of time when one reaches the ages of 40-50. This is why increasing your activity levels are important throughout the years to prevent injury and support mobility. 

Here are some of the best ways to alleviate buttocks pain while sitting and to get you on your way to feeling better again. 

1. Getting a Coccyx Support Cushion for Your Chair

seat cushion on the chair

One of the best ways to improve your sitting is to add a supportive seat cushion to your chair--we recommend our Memory Foam Coccyx Seat Cushion, which we’ve designed especially for office chairs. This cushion is available in a variety of colors, and it was crafted with an orthopedic and ergonomic design for maximum comfort and support.

The Coccyx Cushion is made of 100% memory foam to help provide pain relief and prevent tailbone damage. There is a lifetime guarantee, and it fits perfectly on any home office chair or work chair. When it comes to taking preventative measures for your nerve health, back health, and overall postural support, the coccyx cushion is designed with your comfort in mind!

2. Adding in Lumbar Support, Too!

Your coccyx isn’t the only thing that needs support! Our gel-infused, memory foam Lumbar Support Cushion is another asset to your workspace. The ergonomic design allows you to attach this cushion to the back of your work chair or home office chair; it even has adjustable straps, too! 

The cushion is also machine washable so you don’t have to worry about special care instructions after all those hours of sitting, and we offer a lifetime guarantee. If anything happens to your product, Everlasting Comfort's Warranty has got you covered. 

3. Bend So You Don’t Break

Lifting the arms straight above your head, clasping your hands together, and giving your back a slight bend backward throughout your day can help strengthen and stretch your back muscles. 

You can do this against a wall for extra support. This stretch also improves posture and back muscle strength to help defend against stiffness from sitting all day.

4. Figure 4

This stretch is as easy as it sounds--cross one ankle over your other knee while sitting in a chair. Do this on both sides. You will feel a major stretch in your hips and buttocks which prevent stiffness and ultimately prevent damaging your nerve endings. 

Another variation is lying on the floor or mat crossing your ankle over the knee, creating a “figure 4” position with your legs (this happens with both modified and regular versions of the stretch). You may deepen both stretches by pulling your bottom leg as close to your chest as possible and hold for 30 seconds. 

5. Switch It Up

Who says you can’t work all day and have a ball while doing it? And by that, we mean, exercise ball! An exercise ball is a great way to switch things up during your workday. Using an exercise ball instead of an office chair can increase calorie burn, as well as activate muscle stabilization.

Switching to an exercise ball while you work from home is a great approach to holistic health at home. It is also lots of fun to support brain activity, focus, and clarity. Using these tips to ease your coccyx pain while sitting at work may be the preventative step you need to pain recovery.

6. Take Five

Taking breaks not only helps maintain focus but refreshes your brain after hours of working. Try taking short 5 minutes breaks to stretch and increase circulation. Being stagnant for too long slows your metabolism and makes it harder to burn calories. Sectioning up your day could be just what you need to revitalize your workday, and help you through pain-free. 

Be mindful during your workday and schedule short breaks to hydrate, and most of all move. Those frequent little bends and stretches may be the determining factor between damaged nerves and a supported back while working. 

Taking breaks does more than just aid in physical pain relief. It can also provide needed mental breaks to make you more productive in your work. The Pomodoro Method is a popular way to time these breaks. You will find that you can accomplish more work in less time when you give your body and mind short rests throughout the day.

7. Forward Fold

During your breaks to stretch and bend, consider using the forward fold method. By doing a forward fold bend, you are directly stretching muscles that are otherwise compressed in a seated position all day. This provides a simple and gentle increase in blood flow and should be held for 30 seconds.

This method is quick and easy and is sure to have you feeling refreshed any time you execute. If you are ever worried about hurting your body due to mobility issues, try modified variations, and only do as much as your body will allow to avoid injury.

8. Step Out For Lunch

Literally, step out! Try taking a walk to your favorite lunch spot or market on your break if time allows. Any type of movement in between long periods of sitting in a chair can be a huge relief and promote circulation during your otherwise immobile day. 

Check your phone to find a broad range of great eats just steps from your workplace or home office.  Despite the rise of door dashers and post mates, be sure to get a walk in during your work hours to promote overall well being and health. And if you are entering the building from eating a delicious meal, consider taking the stairs for an extra boost of circulation and movement.

9. Take Preventative Action

No matter the technique you use for coccyx pain while sitting, be aware that preventative measures should be considered. Sitting for too long increases your risk of chronic disease as well as heart disease, obesity, and even depression and anxiety if you live a sedentary lifestyle.

Treating these conditions and diseases may prove to be more difficult to take care of in the long run, vs taking action on the way to pain relief now. As we age, statistics show that our levels of activity decrease. 

This could be due to the lifestyle conditions that come with growing older, such as working an office job or even a sedentary retirement. This doesn’t mean you have to give way to pain and potential damage. 

Getting outside for a hike or jog can do wonders for all sorts of bodily pain. If you sit for most of the day, your legs and body are probably not receiving the exercise and use that they deserve. Even just 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise will be better than none and may help prevent uncomfortable pain in your buttocks and back. 

Find Everlasting Comfort!

the man at the desk

Be proactive--Everlasting Comfort is to our namesake, and you’ll find that we have a whole collection of support cushions. Each cushion responds to heat and has a lifetime guarantee, so you won’t have to go a day without the proper support. 

Always see your doctor first if you are experiencing severe pain or mobility issues. Sitting for too long can potentially damage nerves, and increase health problems if not properly addressed. 

Think of taking care of your back as part of a daily routine to ensure a lifetime of mobility and being pain-free!

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-big-numberthe-average-us-adult-sits-65-hours-a-day-for-teens-its-even-more/2019/04/26/7c29e4c2-676a-11e9-a1b6-b29b90efa879_story.html

https://www.prevention.com/fitness/a20480347/6-best-body-stretches-if-you-sit-all-day/

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/46419627/image/46419635/Standing-Forward-Fold

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/the-dangers-of-sitting

https://www.themuse.com/advice/take-it-from-someone-who-hates-productivity-hacksthe-pomodoro-technique-actually-works

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