1. You’re Chained to Your Desk

<SMALL>Did you know that sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing?</SMALL>
Let’s be honest: Maintaining proper posture is probably the last thing you’re thinking about when under a major work deadline. And on a jam-packed day, regular stretching breaks may not seem like a wise way to spend your time. But skipping these habits may cause your back to suffer. That’s because back muscles will weaken if you don’t use them; inactive joints lose lubrication and age more quickly.

Fix It: Sitting at a 135-degree angle can reduce compression of the discs in the spine, so lean back slightly every now and then. Do it when you take a phone call or a coworker stops by to chat, Sinett recommends. Make sure your office chair supports the curve of your spine, he says: Your lower back should be supported, and your head should be straight—not lurching forward—when you look at your computer screen. Get up and walk around for a couple of minutes every half hour—take trips to get water, use the bathroom, or grab papers off the printer.

2. You’re Addicted to Crunches

<SMALL>Sit-ups and crunches may actually cause more back pain than they prevent, according to Sinett. </SMALL>
We hear all the time how a strong core protects your back, which is true. But crunches don’t work the ab muscles that stabilize your back. In fact, they can contribute to pain by causing what Sinett calls core imbalance, "a condition of excessive compression, which results in the spine curving forward in a C-like shape."

Fix it: You don’t have to ditch crunches entirely, but you should do them slowly and use proper form. Include them as part of a broader core workout that also strengthens your transverse abdominus. This muscle is particularly important for a strong, steady core that supports your back, and the best way to strengthen it is with (noncrunch!) . Added bonus: You’ll whittle your middle and beat hard-to-torch belly fat while improving posture and relieving back pain.

3. You Hold a Grudge

<SMALL>To err is human. To forgive could make your aching back feel simply divine.</SMALL>
When researchers at Duke University Medical Center studied 58 women and men with chronic lower-back pain, they found that those who practiced forgiveness experienced less anger, resentment, depression—and aches. "Our emotions, muscle tension, and thoughts can directly influence the strength of our pain signals," says researcher James W. Carson, PhD.

Fix it: Forgiveness isn't a once-and-done act; it involves choosing, again and again, to replace anger and resentment with understanding toward someone who has done you wrong. Try this: First imagine someone you love. Think, May this person be at ease, happy, healthy, safe, and secure. Repeat, imagining yourself, then someone you don't know personally. Finally, bring to mind someone for whom you don't have good feelings.