If your back aches by the end of a workday in Coral Springs or Parkland, the way sitting strains your back may be the culprit. The human body is built to move, yet most of us sit for eight hours or more a day, and sitting can actually place more strain on your spine than standing.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jared Cohen, DC · Updated June 2026

Your Hip Flexors and Back Muscles Stay Contracted

When you sit, your hip flexors automatically shorten. The psoas muscles — which run from your femur to your lumbar spine — grow tight after long periods of sitting, pulling on your low back and creating pain and stiffness. Your back muscles contract too, and when they’re held in that shortened position for hours, nearby nerves can become irritated or pinched.

You’re Straining Your Neck, Too

Most of us know what good posture looks like, but it’s hard to hold for eight hours. As you focus on a screen or phone, your head drifts forward and your shoulders round. This forward-head, “tech-neck” posture loads the top of your spine and is one of the most common drivers of upper-back and neck pain we see at The Spine and Wellness Center.

How Sitting Strains Your Back Through Disc Pressure

Your spinal discs cushion the vertebrae. Slouched sitting increases the pressure on the discs in your lower back, compressing them over time. As that cushioning wears down, it can lead to bulging discs, sciatica and chronic low back pain — the very conditions we treat with chiropractic care and spinal decompression.

Warning Signs Your Sitting Is Hurting Your Back

• Low back ache or stiffness that worsens through the workday
• Pain that eases when you stand up and walk
• Tight hips and hamstrings
• Rounded shoulders and a forward head posture
• Tingling or numbness radiating into the buttock or leg

How to Combat Sitting-Related Back Pain

• Stand up and move at least once every hour to relieve disc pressure
• Add lumbar support to your chair to keep the natural curve in your low back
• Set your screen at eye level so your head stays stacked over your shoulders
• Stretch your hip flexors and strengthen your core and glutes
• See a chiropractor to correct misalignment before it becomes chronic

When to See a Chiropractor in Coral Springs & Parkland

If back pain is starting to disrupt your day, don’t wait for it to become chronic. At our Coral Springs office on Coral Ridge Drive — minutes from Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate and Boca Raton — we pinpoint the exact cause of your discomfort, build a personalized treatment plan, and give you the exercises to keep your spine healthy. Same-day appointments are available and we accept most major insurance.