Oh, Your Aching Back!

Back pain is one of the most common forms of physical disability and, after the common cold, is the second leading reason that Americans miss work.

So, on The Early Show Friday, exercise physiologist and fitness consultant Neal Pire showed several simple exercises to help you loosen up your back and neck, ease the pain, and get through your day at the office.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, doctors have many ideas about what causes low back pain, but no explanation applies to everyone. It may be related to damage to or aging of discs, muscular problems, arthritis of the spine, problems with tendons or ligaments in and around the spine, or improper ositioning of vertebrae. Low back pain is sometimes caused by excessive stress to the back, such as lifting something heavy; minimal movement, such as bending or reaching for something; and, occasionally, it happens with no cause. Chronic stress can also lead to muscle weakness and back pain. It causes back muscles to tighten.

For much more from the academy on lower back pain, click here.

Pire says the main reason people feel back pain at work is that they sit in poor positions and/or sit too long without moving.

He emphasizes that it's important to maintain a posture that promotes balance and reduces stress on the joints and muscles. "Being able to maintain a healthy and efficient posture throughout the day means you have to move a little bit," Pire says. "The enemy is being in a static position for a long period of time."

Pire adds that sitting for a long time causes the resting muscles in the neck and back to be in an abnormally short resting length position, "So, when you stand up, you may say, 'Whoa!' because your hips flexors were shortened and then stretched."

He recommends that people working in an office move every hour, to stretch their legs. He says getting up an moving makes you feel better, because you are getting oxygen into your system.

Interestingly, Pire says no back rolls or special chairs are needed. He says that, these days, even the least expensive chairs in offices are usually contoured to give good back support.

To watch the segment,