Back pain / Not comfortable - Advice

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Hello all,

last weeks or maybe longer… I started to feel that after few minutes I tend to feel not comfortable for my back. They are not in pain, but like not comfortable before the pain and I dont like it. I cant keep the posture that long. I am also playing video games some time and I work by PC where I have position table for to stay. Bought it to home for gaming too.

Is my place for playing bad or I am just getting old and this is the pain in back everyone talk about? I am just 28. To be honest not doing a sport and having around 87kg, for my height I should be around 75-80.

Anyone here has some really good advice how to help to this? This is not touching guitar only, but my ordinary life too. I am sleeping on belly whole life, but sometimes it starts to feel weird for my back too. I am “healthy” and I did not have any acident in the past.

Most of the time I sit on sofa like this and I have little stool from IKEA where I sit sometimes.
I tried some “straight” sitting method, but it just does not feel comfortable and I feel it could bring pain in shorter time.

Thanks anyone for any recommendation

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Hi

I was told by a music teacher sit in an adjustable chair with a back support, to something like a drummers stool, initiallly sit with feet flat on the floor and adjust seat height so the thigh and lower legs are at right angles. they place a foot lift under leg that supports the guitar, it will raise the guitar to a better position and help you sit up straight, Also it help sit you always use a guitar strap and adjust it so it take some of the weight whether sitting or not and keeps the guitar at the same height sitting or standing. this is what I do and play for quite long periods and get little back pain. Also is advisable to get up and move around every 30-40 minutes.

foot stool there are loads on Amazon.

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@AJSki2fly Guitar strap is really good advice I can try now. I checked out that foot support, but that feel like… too much. There must be a way to play like everyone else without that.

Do you think this support with little for back can solve it or body need much bigger support?

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I think when you are learning or even a bit further down the line trying to learn/practice something new there is a tendency to arch your shoulders and curve your spine over the top of the guitar to see the neck. This I think is the real cause of the back pain, poor posture and muscles locking down. I actually have a prolapse(collapsed disc) in my lower back 4-5 vertebrae from an accident 30 years ago, I have to be careful not to provoke it or I risk sciatica.

In my experience using a stool or a block of wood to raise the leg really helps, I found it quite odd to start with but now I do not like playing without it. Personally I would go for a guitar char with a back support so that you can let bak and rest,

Something like these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SONICAKE-Hydraulic-Adjustable-Double-braced-Removable/dp/B0D3GD2ZDC/ref=sr_1_22?crid=186DVMFQTEJFG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aRRmdiQXusa27OWHb7NuJ42NrVzge3Oh8fD3bvWWaGIALh-8ROyqQko-V5yzkShlVxcUq-FEmiR9pA6Gt4K3JrOp24SdGXCrHomhzAZZUCIj94CB_bfx6I91KSbFREb63M4uHt7K3lhcH-_CRUW1INjTL6Cn7Ebtg5rrpYn1l2IJBDN3dzTs8Qj9ZT3ii_a4KY8JMoB6Nv_RluEpkp2bInpEcBCX1E-b91Q1sUOZ7832w22CQThcMSKOj7mF4ahuJSDFIed4mGqPuCADfnWYy4YMop6djOZyQbHeOWBU20s.iDqAFS0EjGpKLXOlEvEETtORNuBRJzEwzBUzURXg8-M&dib_tag=se&keywords=guitar+chair+with+back+support&qid=1768066518&sprefix=guitar+chair+%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-22&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.d7e5a2de-8759-4da3-993c-d11b6e3d217f

or like this with locking wheels

or maybe

https://www.amazon.co.uk/STRICH-Musician-Backrest-Drummer-Guitarist/dp/B0DDPSNH1T/ref=sr_1_8?crid=186DVMFQTEJFG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aRRmdiQXusa27OWHb7NuJ42NrVzge3Oh8fD3bvWWaGIALh-8ROyqQko-V5yzkShlVxcUq-FEmiR9pA6Gt4K3JrOp24SdGXCrHomhzAZZUCIj94CB_bfx6I91KSbFREb63M4uHt7K3lhcH-_CRUW1INjTL6Cn7Ebtg5rrpYn1l2IJBDN3dzTs8Qj9ZT3ii_a4KY8JMoB6Nv_RluEpkp2bInpEcBCX1E-b91Q1sUOZ7832w22CQThcMSKOj7mF4ahuJSDFIed4mGqPuCADfnWYy4YMop6djOZyQbHeOWBU20s.iDqAFS0EjGpKLXOlEvEETtORNuBRJzEwzBUzURXg8-M&dib_tag=se&keywords=guitar%2Bchair%2Bwith%2Bback%2Bsupport&qid=1768066518&sprefix=guitar%2Bchair%2B%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-8&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.d7e5a2de-8759-4da3-993c-d11b6e3d217f&th=1

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It sounds to me like you spend most of your life sitting down, and by your own admission could probably lose a bit of weight. Playing guitar, working at a PC or gaming. All those activities hunch you forward and round your back and shoulders.
Chairs and straps are all good ideas, but I’d look at adding some exercise to your week - ideally including some balanced resistance training.
28 is no age at all - it’s not just age!

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In one of his videos Justin says to not play on a sofa :open_mouth:
always use a chair with no arms

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First off don’t try playing on a sofa / comfy chair.

Longer term - if you’re struggling at 28 you really need to look ahead and see what fixes you can make or in 20/30 years time you’ll really have problems. The good news is it’s not too late. I turned things around with my posture aged around 50.

At home I work at a standing desk - either standing or on a tall, backless stool that sways up to 10 degrees in any direction. The upside of this is I’m working my core every single day but sitting on something unstable! A strong core will really help your back. I’m now 54 and my posture is much better than it was 5 years ago. (I also do yoga every day so it’s not just about the desk but that helps)

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Further to my previous post, maybe advice for anyone would be to try relying on comfy chairs in general a bit less. It was a real wake-up call to me at the first yoga classes I did finding that the simple act of sitting cross-legged on the floor (unsupported) for a few minutes was too painful for me. I’d be fairly certain that’s not unique to me. I’ve since corrected that, can sit for ages on the floor now, much like I would have been able to do as a kid. Comfort is great except when you depend on it

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@AJSki2fly Great recommendations and catches. I think there could be also bad habit too look on fretboard too much too. I am gonna check that chairs with support.

@mathsjunky Thank you for opinion. You are right… I am pretty lazy and overweight person. Like… I really am and I know it, but being lazy is just so comfortable. :smiley: I am reading a book Atomic Habits, so I am gonna apply some of those wisdom to some exercise. Even when it should be just walking out.

@GrumpyMac Yes, I dont use chair with no arms. Would not have enough space. I think the problem could be really in mentioned above and playing on sofa. But I played few years like that… now it caught me.

@mattswain Thank you for recommendation. So do you think the part one could be to work and play games on PC more inm stand position then in sitting? Even it does not feel comfortable? To overfeel and get use to it? Maybe that is the feeling just because of weak muscles and bad habit. So this could help?

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try a strap and standing up maybe ?

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I’d say like starting any exercise program don’t put yourself through unnecessary pain… build up gradually or you might get hurt. Maybe try making a habit of shifting your work / gaming position between sitting in a chair / on the floor and standing - really you don’t want to be in any single position for hours at a stretch. Us humans are supposed to move about

To strengthen your core you can do simple plank exercises. Once you can do a 90 second hold, try doing it lifting a hand off the floor without tilting your hips. Once you can do that you can raise a hand and the opposite foot which is a real test of core stability

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Yeah, I definitely see your back hunched forward in your picture.

I can’t play on a soft chair. I use a solid wood dining chair at my desk and sometimes play sitting in it. I also sometimes play standing.

When seated, I play with a more “classical guitar” position. Holding the guitar this way helps me keep my back straighter and keeps my shoulders level. My instructor worked hard with me on seated playing position and I noticed a real difference. I also use a strap even when seated.

I also have a footrest and I used it pretty heavily at first. I don’t use it as much now. I think partly because I’ve just found a position that works for me and is comfortable without it.

I think at least for now you should avoid the tall stool. That doesn’t look like a comfortable position in which to play guitar, either. Core exercises most likely will help all around. My core is not as strong as it once was, but I’ve never had any sort of back issues - and I attribute that to having a reasonably good posture and some core strength.

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Excellent idea. Walking is a great exercise - often overlooked. Whatever you do, I would look to include some thoracic spine mobility and strengthening - the back is very complicated with a lot of muscles and problems are often caused by compensation by stronger muscle groups for weaker ones. Thoracic spine issues are really common these days with our more sedentary lifestyles.

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I think this is fair comment - address your core strength first before potentially spending money

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As others have said: core strength is key. You don’t need to do heavy exercises to work on this: plank exercises like @mattswain mentioned are a good start, walking or basically any movement will help too. Working/playing games while standing can help some, but is a bit overrated, as you mostly keep standing still. It’s ok to do it, but you have to build it up: when it starts feeling uncomfortable, stop. Over time, you will be able to keep standing comfortable for longer periodes of time. You could also look into balance cushions, cushions that force you to sit upright and to constantly make very small movements to keep your balance. Also for these: you have to build up, start with 15 min or so, and build up as your core gets stronger.

As for a foot rest: sitting with one leg propped up tilts your pelvis and spine sideways. It might help for certain posture issues (esp. when sitting too high), but you risk creating other back problems due to the sideways tilt. Better use a strap to keep your guitar at the right hight than lift one leg, and sit straight, feet flush to the floor and knees at a 90° angle.

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Lucky you Michal, I’ll be 72 in a couple of weeks! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:
Posture. Get that sorted! Get a decent chair for guitar, pc, everything. Don’t slouch on a sofa.
My new chair arrived today
New chair, now I need a strap!

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Many years ago my doctor gave me a referral to a chiropractor (aka quack). He fixed my constant back pain. I went maybe 5 times and never went back. I know there are YT videos out there addressing back pain and exercises. Ask me how I know.

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Hi @Carreta

I only skimmed a great deal of the replies you got, so I am likely to duplicate some.

I suffered a fairly severe neck injury at age 17 while on a motocross motorcycle. Basically, I went over a hill and landed on my back, jarring my neck out of place. I was doing this against my parental instruction, so I never reported the problem. I suffered with not being able to tilt my head upward at all, chronic pain, and not really look left or right without discomfort.
This lasted until I had a son-in-law finishing up Chiropractic school. He put my neck back into place and had me see a local chiropractor and massage therapist for a year. I have been in pretty good shape since then ( over 25 years now) with reasonable mobility and few needs to get my “head put on straight” again.

What I learned from my time BEFORE the chiropractor is that maintaining your shoulder and back posture is critical. I learned this empirically. I sit in chairs VERY straight and I pull my head and shoulders back so I have no hunch in my upper back area.

It helps to have anoter person let you know if you are out of good posture. I am married, so… :slight_smile:

What you are going for is to have your shoulders look flat across the back. Look up “scapula”. You want to actively maintain a little pull to keep them together rather than falling forward.

You want to try to keep your chest up. This will help help your mid back in the right position and also push your head back a bit. Think of a military person standing at attention. Your second picture shows a pretty rounded mid back.

Lastly, keep your head BACK. that first picture has your head bent down, creating tension in your back and neck. If you need to look over your guitar, do it for a shor time and position your head correctly again. This may feel like you are out of balance, but you want to keep your chin a bit down (not a lot!) and then balance your head so you don’t need a lot of effort to hold it in place.

If you can get into this habit, you will benefit yourself a lot as you age.

As for your seat, I think a moderately firm seat is better than a soft one. It doesn’t need to be fancy. I use an office chair that was too large to fit in my desk space. It is capable of setting a firm back, tilt for hips, height, and no arm rests (removed). I rarely need to touch the back if I stick to my instructions above. I have successfully used a footstool and a simple diningroom chair as well.

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Did you notice that it happens more often when you play for many hours per day? It might be because no matter the position, it will not be perfectly ergonomic, so taking breaks and reducing the number of hours per day can help.

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Thank you all very much for your inputs! I am gonna check out some YouTube for exercise and maybe I will visit some chiropractic (doctor for that).
I tried the strap and it feels really really weird to me. This is gonna slow down my progress pretty huge, I can feel. But first of all I need to fix myself. Also I need to find out how to strap acoustic with jack input, it just does not fit. It is too big. Maybe I will 3D print something.

Of course I will play, but (@math07 now your question) it makes me play less and less. I can remember sessions drilling 1-3 hours. Now I dont feel comfortable after 5-15 minutes and it makes me not to focus on what I do on guitar.
I guess making it into small junks a day and between that putting guitar out will be the way.

From psychical way… this makes me feel really bad and disappointed in myself that it is happening to me. But this is my inner problem. :sweat_smile:

Btw, from time to time I see an ad for some belt. Is it a gimmick or anyone has experiences?

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