Back Pain Guides by Job and Activity
Back pain is rarely about the back on its own. It is usually about what you spend your day doing — the lifting, the standing, the sitting, the reaching — and which of those you can change. These guides are organised by the job or activity that brings it on, so you can start with the one that matches your day.
None of this is medical advice. If pain is severe, worsening, or comes with numbness, tingling or weakness in a leg, see a clinician rather than working through a checklist.
Back pain at work
- Warehouse work — repetitive lifting, concrete floors, and what the NIOSH lifting limit actually means on a pick line.
- Nursing — patient handling, twelve-hour shifts, and the safe-lifting research every nurse should know.
- Law enforcement — duty belts, body armour and long hours in a patrol car.
- Working from home — seven practical changes to a desk setup that was never meant to be an office.
Back pain off the clock
- Lifting kids — why a 25-pound toddler costs you more than a 50-pound box.
- Road trips — seat setup, movement breaks, and handling luggage at the other end.
- Golf — what the swing asks of your lower back, and how to warm up for it.
- Hiking — pack weight, poles, and whether a support belt is worth carrying.
Understanding what is going on
- Sciatica — what causes it, what the evidence says about treating it, and where support fits.
- What lumbar support actually is — the plain-language version, without the marketing.
Choosing and wearing a support
- How the Spinal Armor system works — adjustable compression, interchangeable panels, and what a support will not do.
- Posture support that lets you move — why rigid braces end up in a drawer.
More guides publishing through November
New guides are going up every other day, covering chefs and kitchen staff, hairstylists, dentists and hygienists, retail work, auto mechanics, hotel housekeepers, photographers, gardening, dog walking, pickleball, cycling, gaming, guitar, sewing, long flights, morning stiffness, and how to size and wear a support correctly. They will be added here as they publish.
Where to start with a support
If you have read the guide for your situation and want to try wearable support, the Spinal Armor Back Support System Starter Pack is the base system: adjustable compression, worn under or over clothing, built to let you bend and move rather than hold you rigid. The Deluxe Pack adds the spinal, abdominal and butterfly panels plus a hot and cold gel pack.
Size on the measurement around your belly button, not your pants size — the sizing page has the chart. Both are FSA and HSA eligible.