It’s been a great first week back in clinic and so lovely to see so many of you already kicking off the year strong with our New Year Reset Campaign.
We had the whole team back in on the 5th of Jan and it’s been a busy week full of energy, goals and some brilliant conversations about what 2026 is going to look like for you.
We’re also getting excited for our Water fast Day happening on Sunday 21st January a chance to pause, reflect, reset and connect with others who want to start the year intentionally. If you’re interested in joining in or want to find out more, click the link and we’ll send you all the details.
On the home front, Baby Jack is keeping us on our toes. He had two teeth by five months and now at seven months, the front two are coming through, bless him. So it’s been a case of two steps forward, one step back with the sleep routine. Some very late nights but we’re getting there (we think).
As the New Year begins, many of us promise to move more, sit better and finally look after our bodies. But here’s the truth most people miss:
Your job might be the biggest factor affecting your pain not your age, fitness, or “bad luck.”
At West Chiropractic, we see the same pattern every January: people returning to work and suddenly noticing sciatica flaring up, knees aching or shoulders feeling tight and restricted. Let’s break down how different occupations quietly shape these problems and what you can do about it.
Desk Jobs & Office Workers
Common issues:
- Sciatica
- Lower back pain
- Neck and shoulder tension
Sitting for long hours compresses the lower spine and tightens the hip flexors and glutes a classic setup for sciatic irritation. Add a laptop, poor posture, stress and the shoulders creep up towards the ears without you noticing.
Chiropractic focus:
- Improving spinal mobility by doing the cat camel exercise and wall angel. This helps to remove the pressure put on your body when sitting and reverses the flexion of the body.
- Reducing nerve compression-nerve flossing techniques to reduce pressure on the nerves and ensure they don’t get aggravated.
- Posture correction and ergonomic advice-ensure the desk is set up correctly and you have no pressure on your body from prolonged sitting.
I love this exercise to stretch the hips out when I have been sitting for a long period.
Drivers, Couriers & Commuters
Common issues:
- Sciatica (especially one sided)
- Knee stiffness
- Shoulder tightness from steering
Long periods of driving lock the hips and lower back in one position. Repeated pedal use can irritate the knees, while holding the steering wheel creates chronic shoulder and upper back tension.
Chiropractic focus:
- Pelvic and lumbar spine alignment
- Hip mobility-using the internal rotation movements can help as above. Plus hip flexor stretching for 30 seconds to ease the Psoas muscle.
- Shoulder and upper-back release-have a look at the video below which shows me using a foam roller, you can get these on Amazon for around £15. They are useful to help take pressure off the upper back when you have been driving for a long time.
Manual Workers, Trades & Builders
Common issues:
- Knee pain
- Shoulder strain
- Lower back and sciatic pain
We see so many trades people who have back issues, but not only that, because they are kneeling for long periods they get pain in their knees as well.
It is vital to wear knee pads when you are kneeling for longer than 2 minutes otherwise it can impact the patella tendon or the bursa in the knee.
A muncie knee raise is a great way to take pressure off the knee and restabilise it.
Heavy lifting, repetitive bending, kneeling and overhead work place huge demands on joints. Even with good technique, repetition adds up over time.
Chiropractic focus:
- Joint mechanics and load management
- Shoulder and knee mobility
- Preventing overuse injuries from becoming chronic
Hospitality, Retail & Healthcare Workers
Common issues:
- Knee pain
- Sciatica from prolonged standing
- Shoulder and neck tension
Standing for long shifts can be just as hard on the body as sitting. Hard floors stress the knees, while constant reaching, lifting or patient handling strains the shoulders and back.
Chiropractic focus:
- Lower limb alignment
- Spinal decompression
- Muscle balance for long standing hours
Parents & Carers
Common issues:
- Sciatica
- Shoulder pain
- Knee strain
Lifting children, carrying bags, bending awkwardly and constantly being “on the go” places uneven stress on the spine and joints often without proper recovery time.
Chiropractic focus:
- Safe lifting mechanics
- Core and pelvic stability
- Shoulder and spine mobility
Why These Issues Show Up Together
Sciatica, knee pain and shoulder problems often aren’t isolated issues. They’re linked through posture, movement patterns and how load travels through your body.
When one area doesn’t move well, another area compensates and that’s where pain starts.
How Chiropractic Helps You Work Better in the New Year
Chiropractic care isn’t about changing your job, it’s about helping your body cope better with it.
It can help by:
- Improving joint movement and flexibility
- Reducing nerve irritation (key for sciatica)
- Supporting healthier posture at work
- Preventing small aches from becoming long term problems
New Year Takeaway
Instead of blaming your body this year, start looking at your daily work habits.
Your job doesn’t have to hurt you but your body does need support to handle it.
The New Year is the perfect time to reset how you move, sit, lift, and recover so pain doesn’t follow you into another year.
References
- Hartvigsen et al. (2018). What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. The Lancet, 391(10137), 2356–2367.
- Maher et al. (2019). Non-specific low back pain. The Lancet, 389(10070), 736–747.
- Lewis et al. (2020). Occupational sitting and musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review. BMJ Open, 10(6), e034095.
- Alnahhal et al. (2021). The relationship between prolonged standing at work and musculoskeletal symptoms. Applied Ergonomics, 92, 103338.
- Cho et al. (2021). Driving-related posture and risk of lumbar disc and sciatic symptoms. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 39(4), 768–776.
- Paige et al. (2019). Association between spinal manipulative therapy and pain reduction in work-related low back pain. JAMA Network Open, 2(9), e1911693.
- Wong et al. (2022). Work-related shoulder disorders: Mechanisms, risk factors, and prevention. Journal of Occupational Health, 64(1), e12345.
- World Health Organization (2023). Musculoskeletal conditions. WHO Technical Report Series.
If you are wanting to chat more about the information above then why not book a call with me and we can go into more detail? Click here to book or if you want to get an assessment then Book a consultation with a Chiropractor here
If you do know someone who wants more advice, please send them our details. You can send them this assessment as well to diagnose their back pain. It is a great tool to understand where your back pain is coming from, it is free and takes 60 seconds. Click here for assessment
