What can physical therapy do to reduce pain when sitting?

Pain When Sitting

Sitting is an activity that most people do on a daily basis, but there are many issues that can lead to pain when sitting. 

On average, American adults sit for about 6.5 hours every day, and teenagers are even worse with an eight-hour-per-day average. Poor sitting posture and poor workplace ergonomics are two issues that can make so much sitting quite painful. Physical therapists are typically able to help people reduce pain they feel when sitting. In fact, there are several steps these specialists can take to meet this goal. 

Four steps physical therapists can take to help reduce your pain when sitting

An in-depth knowledge of the human musculoskeletal system helps physical therapists understand why people feel pain when sitting. This insight also gives these specialists the know-how to address issues that are causing your pain. Four steps that your therapist can take to help decrease your sitting discomfort are: 

  1. Diagnosing the cause — Poor posture and ergonomics at work are just two of the issues that can lead to aches when sitting. Your therapist can evaluate your body to pinpoint the issue that’s specifically causing your pain. A few of the other issues they could identify include: 
  1. Improving sitting posture — Another step your physical therapist can take is to help you improve your sitting posture. This could start with your therapist evaluating how you sit. Then, they may recommend adjustments to address problems like poorly positioned feet. 
  1. Increasing core muscle strength — Many people have weak core muscles. This is problematic if you sit a lot because these muscles help support you in an upright position. Your specialist can show you how to perform exercises designed to boost core muscle strength. This can help improve your sitting posture and decrease pain. 
  1. Addressing knee and hip pain — People with hip or knee osteoarthritis are also likely to have discomfort when sitting for long periods. Physical therapists can use techniques like joint mobilization to help. This technique involves the therapist using their hands to move the arthritic joint in various ways. In many patients, these movements help reduce pain in the affected joint. They can also lead to improved joint range of motion and function. 

Find help with your pain when sitting at Excel PT

Ready to reduce the pain you feel when sitting? Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team is ready and willing to help you take steps to address your pain. We offer free screenings that can reveal the issues that are causing your pain. Additionally, our physical therapists excel at creating individualized therapy plans, and these plans are designed to offer benefits like: 

  • Reduced pain.
  • Improved ability to do normal daily activities. 
  • Increased mobility.

Our team can even help you get therapy from home thanks to our at-home care and virtual therapy services. 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can assist you with sitting-related discomfort or to schedule an initial appointment.