Why the Current Approach to Managing Back Pain at Work Isn’t Working

We’ve tried fixing chairs. We’ve tried perfect posture. So why are back pain rates still sky-high?
It’s the same story in offices across the UK.

An employee mentions back pain. HR sends them an ergonomic chair and a leaflet on sitting “correctly”. Maybe a standing desk arrives. Maybe they’re told to rest or book a massage. But weeks later, the pain’s still there - or worse, they’re now off work entirely.

So what’s going wrong?
Let’s unpack the common myths about managing back pain at work - and what the science actually says.

The Myth: “Bad posture causes back pain. Good posture prevents it.”

This idea is everywhere. Sit up straight. Don’t slouch. Keep your screen at eye level and your knees at 90 degrees. Entire office fit-outs are built on this premise.

But here’s the thing: posture isn’t the villain it’s been made out to be.

Research now shows that how you sit matters far less than how long you stay still. People with back pain come in all shapes, postures and alignments. Some slouch. Some sit bolt upright. Some mix it up constantly. And pain levels? There’s no consistent pattern.

In fact, trying to hold yourself in a “perfect” posture all day - shoulders back, spine straight, core engaged - can actually make things worse. It can increase muscle tension, reduce natural movement and feed the fear that you’re somehow doing harm by sitting “wrong”.

Reframe: Variety is more protective than rigidity.
Movement, not alignment, is the secret sauce. Shifting positions often, standing up regularly and allowing your spine to move through its full range is far more helpful than trying to hold a textbook pose.

The Myth: “Your back pain means something is damaged - best to rest.”

Another persistent belief: pain equals damage. You tweaked your back bending over, so it must be “out”. You feel stiff after sitting all day, so something must be “misaligned”.

But pain doesn’t always mean harm.

Most cases of workplace back pain aren’t caused by injury or structural damage. They’re caused by a mix of factors: stress, lack of movement, muscle tension, poor sleep and even your beliefs about pain.

Your body is trying to protect you - sometimes a bit too enthusiastically. Think of it like a sensitive alarm system. If your nervous system thinks you’re under threat (physically or emotionally), it sounds the pain alarm - even if there’s no damage to be found.

Reframe: Pain is complex, and recovery needs more than rest.
Taking days off or lying down may feel like the right call, but prolonged rest can actually slow recovery. Muscles decondition. Confidence drops. Worry kicks in. Instead, most people do better when they keep moving - at a level they can tolerate - and stay connected to work in some way.

The Myth: “A new chair or standing desk will solve it.”

When pain strikes at work, it’s tempting to go gadget shopping. A firmer chair. A standing desk. A lumbar roll. But while equipment tweaks can help, they rarely fix the root issue.

Why? Because discomfort at work isn’t just about hardware. It’s about habits, culture and context.

Are people afraid to move in meetings? Are they skipping breaks or working through lunch? Is there underlying job stress or low morale that’s keeping their system on edge?

Pain thrives in environments of tension, stillness and fear. And no chair can fix that.

Reframe: Culture beats kit.
The best way to reduce back pain at work isn’t a shopping spree - it’s embedding a culture that encourages movement, curiosity and open conversations about pain. One where standing up, stretching or walking while on a call is normalised. Where pain isn’t seen as weakness. And where staff feel supported, not scrutinised.

The Myth: “It’s all in your head.”

This one’s trickier. We’ve just said pain isn’t always about tissue damage. That stress, sleep and emotion can influence it.

But that doesn’t mean pain is imaginary or psychological. Far from it.

Pain is always real. Always valid. It’s just shaped by more than muscles and joints. Your brain’s job is to protect you - and it uses pain as a warning. But if you’re sleep-deprived, under pressure and stuck in one position for hours, your brain might turn that volume dial up.

That doesn’t make the pain fake. It makes it human.

Reframe: Pain is an output of your whole system.
By acknowledging that stress and context play a role, we don’t dismiss the pain - we expand the tools we can use to ease it. Movement, strength training, sleep, mindset, social support - they all matter. And they’re all modifiable.

So… what does work?

If posture correction, time off and new furniture aren’t the golden ticket, what is?
Here’s what the evidence supports:

• Graded movement and strength training
  Even short bouts of walking, stretching or light exercise can help desensitise pain systems. Over time, building strength and resilience through resistance training reduces recurrence and builds confidence.

• Active rehabilitation, not passive fixes
  Massage, manipulation or medication might ease things short-term. But long-term recovery comes from movement, education and behaviour change.

• Supportive workplace policies
  Let people move. Encourage micropauses. Build in walking meetings or breakout tasks. Allow flexible hours when someone’s flared up - without making them feel penalised.

• Early access to physio or clinical coaching
  Research shows that fast access to evidence-based care reduces time off, lowers long-term cost and improves outcomes. Especially when pain is addressed before it becomes chronic.

• Changing the conversation
  Fear is one of the biggest predictors of persistent pain. By shifting language - away from damage and fragility, towards adaptability and resilience - we help people feel safe in their bodies again.

Why this matters - for businesses too

Back pain isn’t just a personal problem. It’s a productivity drain. It’s a retention risk. It’s a culture issue.

The UK loses millions of workdays each year to musculoskeletal pain. And most of that is avoidable.

When companies invest in reactive fixes - equipment, sick leave, insurance claims - they spend more, for less benefit. But when they invest in early intervention, education and culture shift, the ROI is clear:

• Fewer absences

• Shorter recovery times

• Stronger employee engagement

• Better morale and retention

It’s time for a smarter approach

The old approach - posture policing, passive treatment, equipment overload - isn’t working. The science has moved on. So should we.

Managing back pain at work means:

• Making movement normal

• Supporting the whole person

• Acting early, not waiting for breakdown

• Helping people feel strong, not fragile

It’s not about fixing backs. It’s about backing people.

Want to explore this further with your team?
Our “We’ve Got Your Back” workshop was designed exactly for this - helping workplaces rethink back pain and put movement, mindset and self-efficacy front and centre. It’s light, practical, evidence-based and gets people talking (and moving).

Feel free to drop us a line to find out more - we’d love to help.