Managing Back Pain from Desk Work | Learn Japanese in English

Sentence explanations

1. 一日中机に向かって座った後、腰が痛いです。

   My lower back hurts after sitting at my desk all day.

   一日中

   all day

   机

   desk

   向かって

   facing; toward

   座った

   sat

   後

   after

   腰

   lower back

   痛いです

   hurts; is painful

   More detail

   一日中 means “all day.” 一日 is “one day,” and 中 here marks the whole span of that period, so this expression describes duration rather than a single point in time. Example: 一日中雨が降りました。— “It rained all day.” 机 means “desk.” In this sentence, 机に向かって describes the position or direction associated with sitting: 机に向かう means “face a desk” or “sit facing a desk.” 向かって is the て-form of 向かう (“to face; to head toward”), and the particle に marks the desk as the direction or object faced. Together with 座る, this commonly expresses sitting at or facing a desk. Example: 彼は窓に向かって座っています。— “He is sitting facing the window.” 座った is the plain past form of 座る, “to sit.” Its past form is used before 後 in the pattern verb-past + 後(で), meaning “after doing something.” Thus, 座った後 means “after sitting,” not simply “after a seat.” Example: 食べた後で薬を飲みます。— “I take medicine after eating.” 後 means “after” in 座った後. The preceding verb identifies the event that is completed first; the main statement then follows. Here, the sitting happened before the pain is described. 腰 refers here to the lower back, as fixed by the translation. The same Japanese word can refer more broadly to the waist or lower-back area depending on context, but this sentence specifically describes pain in the lower back. In the following context, the chair’s support is also discussed, which fits this bodily sense. 痛いです means “hurts” or “is painful.” 痛い is an i-adjective whose base form is already 痛い; です adds polite style. The adjective describes the condition of 腰, and が marks 腰 as the thing experiencing or having that condition. Example: 足が痛いです。— “My foot hurts.” Putting the parts together, 一日中 gives the duration, 机に向かって座った後 gives the completed activity and the time relation, and 腰が痛いです states the current condition. The whole utterance means: “My lower back hurts after sitting at my desk all day.”

2. その椅子は、あなたの腰を十分に支えていないのかもしれません。

   Your chair might not be giving you enough support.

   その

   that

   椅子

   chair

   あなた

   you

   腰

   lower back

   十分に

   sufficiently

   支えていない

   not supporting

   かもしれません

   might be

   More detail

   その means “that” and modifies the noun 椅子. In this utterance, その椅子 is the chair under discussion; the fixed translation identifies it as the listener’s chair. その is a demonstrative, not a possessive form by itself. A useful pattern is その + noun: “that noun.” 椅子 means “chair.” It is a noun and can be modified by demonstratives such as その: その椅子 = “that chair.” あなた means “you.” In あなたの腰, the particle の links あなた to 腰 and marks the possessor, so the phrase means “your lower back.” The form あなた itself does not change for this possessive use. Example: あなたの本 means “your book.” 腰 means “lower back” here, as supported by the fixed translation and the surrounding discussion of back pain. The same noun can refer to the waist or hip area in other contexts, so its exact English rendering depends on the body part intended. 十分に means “sufficiently” or “enough.” The に form makes 十分 function adverbially and modifies 支えていない, expressing the degree of support. Example: 十分に休みました means “I rested enough.” 支えていない contains the verb 支える, “to support.” The observed form is the negative of 支えている: 支えている = “is supporting / is providing support,” while 支えていない = “is not supporting / is not providing support.” Here the chair is the understood supporter and あなたの腰 is what it should support. The negative form is made with いない after the て-form: 支えて + いない. かもしれません adds the possibility meaning “might” or “may.” It follows the plain negative form 支えていない and is polite because of ません. Thus 支えていないかもしれません means “might not be supporting” rather than stating the lack of support as certain. Example: 明日は雨かもしれません means “It might rain tomorrow.” Together, その椅子は sets the chair as the topic, and あなたの腰を marks the listener’s lower back as the object receiving support. 十分に支えていない says that the support is not sufficient. Adding かもしれません makes the complete utterance: “Your chair might not be giving you enough support.”

3. モニターが遠すぎるので、前かがみになることもあります。

   I also lean forward because my monitor is too far away.

   モニター

   monitor

   遠すぎる

   be too far away

   ので

   because; since

   前かがみになる

   lean forward

   こともあります

   also sometimes do

   More detail

   モニター means “monitor” here, the screen device being discussed. It is a noun, and が marks it as the subject of the following description. 遠すぎる means “be too far away.” It consists of the i-adjective 遠い (“far”) with its adjective stem 遠- plus すぎる (“be too much; excessively”): 遠い → 遠すぎる. The result says that the distance is excessive, not merely that the monitor is far. Example: この机は高すぎる。 — “This desk is too high.” ので connects a reason to a result: “because” or “since.” Here, the monitor being too far away is the reason for the action that follows. The reusable pattern Aので、B means “Because A, B.” Example: 雨なので、出かけません。 — “Because it is raining, I will not go out.” 前かがみになる means “lean forward” or “adopt a forward-bent posture.” 前かがみ describes that posture, and なる means “become” or “come to be,” so the phrase describes taking that posture rather than moving an object forward. Example: 長く座ると、前かがみになります。 — “When I sit for a long time, I lean forward.” こともあります uses verb + こともある to say that an action or event also occurs, often meaning “sometimes.” In this sentence, なること turns the action of becoming forward-bent into a noun-like phrase, も adds “also,” and あります is the polite non-past form of ある. The sentence therefore presents leaning forward as something that happens on some occasions, not continuously or every time. Example: 忙しい日は、朝ご飯を食べないこともあります。 — “On busy days, I sometimes do not eat breakfast.” Together, モニターが遠すぎるので gives the reason “because my monitor is too far away,” and 前かがみになることもあります says “I also sometimes lean forward.” The whole utterance means: “I also lean forward because my monitor is too far away.”

4. 画面を近づけると、背中への負担が少し減るかもしれません。

   Moving the screen closer could take some pressure off your back.

   画面

   screen

   近づける

   move closer; bring closer

   と

   when; if

   背中

   back

   への

   to/toward; linking to

   負担

   pressure; burden

   少し

   a little

   減る

   decrease; be reduced

   かもしれません

   might; could

   More detail

   画面 means “screen” here. It is a noun; in 画面を, を marks it as the object of the following action. Example: 画面を見る。 — “I look at the screen.” 近づける means “move something closer” or “bring something closer.” It is the transitive counterpart of 近づく, “come or get closer”: 画面を近づける makes the screen closer to someone or something understood from the situation. Example: いすを机に近づける。 — “I move the chair closer to the desk.” と connects the preceding condition with its result: “when” or “if.” With this kind of change-and-result statement, it presents the result as something that may follow when the condition occurs. Example: ボタンを押すと、音が出ます。 — “When you press a button, a sound comes out.” 背中 means “back,” specifically the back of the body. In 背中への, it identifies the target or direction of the burden: “toward/on the back.” へ marks direction or a target, and の links that phrase to the following noun. Thus 背中への負担 is “the burden on the back,” rather than a burden that the back itself performs. 負担 means “burden,” “strain,” or “pressure” in the sense of something physically or otherwise demanding. Here it refers to strain on the back. Example: この姿勢は首への負担が大きい。 — “This posture puts a lot of strain on the neck.” 少し means “a little” or “slightly.” It limits the amount of the change described by 減る; it does not by itself specify an exact amount. Example: 痛みが少し減った。 — “The pain decreased a little.” 減る means “decrease” or “be reduced.” It is intransitive: the thing that becomes smaller or less is marked with が, as in 負担が減る. Its transitive counterpart is 減らす, “reduce something”: 負担を減らす means “reduce the burden.” In the fixed sentence, 負担が少し減る describes the burden becoming less, not an explicitly named person reducing it. かもしれません expresses possibility politely: “might” or “could.” It follows the plain form 減る and makes the result tentative rather than certain. Example: 明日は雨が降るかもしれません。 — “It might rain tomorrow.” Together, 画面を近づけると means “when the screen is moved closer,” and 背中への負担が少し減るかもしれません means “the strain on your back could decrease a little.” The whole utterance therefore says: “Moving the screen closer could take some pressure off your back.” The conditional と links the screen adjustment with the possible result, while かもしれません keeps that result uncertain.

5. 短い休憩の間にストレッチをしようかと考えていました。

   I was thinking about stretching during short breaks.

   短い

   short

   休憩

   break; rest

   の間に

   during

   ストレッチ

   stretching

   しよう

   do; let’s do

   考えていました

   was thinking

   More detail

   短い means “short” here and describes the length or duration of 休憩. It is the attributive form of 短い; the same form can also be used predicatively, as in 休憩は短いです。 (“The break is short.”). Its opposite is 長い (“long”). 休憩 means a break or rest period. It is a noun and can combine with verbs such as 休憩を取る (“take a break”). Example: 短い休憩を取りましょう。 — “Let’s take a short break.” の間に marks a time interval during which something happens. In this sentence, 休憩の間に is “during the break.” の links 休憩 to 間 (“interval”), and に marks the time at which the action takes place. Example: 休憩の間に水を飲みます。 — “I drink water during the break.” ストレッチ is the noun “stretching” or “a stretch.” With the object particle, ストレッチをする means “do stretching” or “stretch.” Example: 毎朝ストレッチをします。 — “I stretch every morning.” しよう is the volitional form of する, “to do.” By itself, it can propose “let’s do it” or express an intention such as “I’ll do it.” Here it is followed by かと考えていました, so it presents stretching as the action being considered rather than as a direct proposal to the listener. The reusable pattern is Nをしようかと考える — “think about whether to do N.” 考えていました comes from 考える (“to think” or “to consider”). The ていました form presents the thinking as ongoing at a past time, giving “was thinking.” In しようかと考えていました, the content of the thought is introduced by と; か makes it a question or uncertainty: “was thinking about whether to stretch.” Example: 週末に何をするか考えています。 — “I am thinking about what to do this weekend.” Taken together, 短い休憩の間に sets the time, ストレッチをしようかと gives the action under consideration, and 考えていました places that consideration in progress in the past. The complete meaning is: “I was thinking about stretching during short breaks.” This is a polite, natural way to describe a past consideration without presenting it as a firm decision.

6. 軽いストレッチは役立つかもしれませんが、痛みが強くなるならやめてください。

   Gentle stretching may help, but stop if it increases the pain.

   軽い

   gentle; light

   ストレッチ

   stretching

   役立つ

   be helpful

   かもしれませんが

   may ..., but

   痛み

   pain

   強くなる

   become stronger; intensify

   やめてください

   please stop

   More detail

   軽い describes ストレッチ here as gentle or light. It is the attributive form of the i-adjective 軽い, placed before the noun it describes. Its meaning can change with context: for example, 軽い荷物 means “a light piece of luggage.” ストレッチ is a noun, the loanword for stretching. With は, ストレッチ is made the topic: “as for gentle stretching...” The topic marker does not by itself state how many stretching sessions or exercises are meant. 役立つ is the dictionary form meaning “to be useful” or “to help.” In this sentence, ストレッチは役立つ presents stretching as something that may be beneficial. A closely related expression is 役に立つ, which also means “be useful”; do not treat 役立つ as an inflected form of 立つ in this sentence. かもしれませんが combines uncertainty with contrast. かもしれない means “may” or “might,” and かもしれません is its polite form; the ending ません does not make the possibility negative here. The following が means “but” and connects the possible benefit with the instruction that follows. For example, 明日は雨かもしれませんが、出かけます。 means “It may rain tomorrow, but I will go out.” 痛み means “pain.” The particle が marks it as the subject of the following change: the pain is what may become stronger. The noun is formed from 痛い (“painful”) with the noun-forming element -み; it is not the adjective itself. 強くなる means “become stronger” or, for pain, “intensify.” 強く is the adverbial form of the i-adjective 強い (“strong”), and なる means “become.” Thus 強くなる describes a change in the pain, not an action by someone to strengthen it. The condition 痛みが強くなるなら means “if the pain becomes stronger” or “if it intensifies.” やめてください is a polite request meaning “please stop.” It consists of the te-form やめて of やめる (“stop” or “quit”) plus ください, which makes a request. The person being asked is understood from the situation, and the sentence does not specify a separate actor. For example, ここでやめてください。 means “Please stop here.” Taken together, 軽いストレッチは役立つかもしれませんが says that gentle stretching may help, while 痛みが強くなるならやめてください gives the condition and instruction: if the pain intensifies, please stop. The full utterance therefore means, “Gentle stretching may help, but stop if it increases the pain.”

7. 痛みが続くなら、専門家に診てもらったほうがよさそうです。

   If it continues, I should probably see a professional.

   痛み

   pain

   続く

   continue

   なら

   if

   専門家

   professional; specialist

   診てもらった

   have someone examine me

   ほうがよさそうです

   seems better to

   More detail

   痛み means “pain” here. It is a noun and can be used in patterns such as 痛みがある (“there is pain”) and 痛みが強い (“the pain is severe”). In this sentence, が marks it as the thing that continues. 続く is the base form “to continue; to persist.” Its plain form appears before the conditional なら: 痛みが続くなら means “if the pain continues.” A useful contrast is 痛みが続く (“the pain continues”) versus 痛みが止まる (“the pain stops”). なら makes a conditional based on the situation just described: Xなら means “if X is the case” or, here, “if X happens.” Thus 痛みが続くなら presents continued pain as the condition for the advice that follows. 専門家 means “a professional” or “a specialist.” It is a noun referring to someone with relevant expertise. The sentence does not specify which kind of specialist; the surrounding medical context supports the professional intended here. 診てもらった contains 診る, “to examine or treat someone medically,” and てもらう, “to have someone do something for one.” The form 診てもらった uses the past form of もらう, but in V-てもらったほうがいい it is part of a recommendation meaning “it is better to have someone do V for me.” In this sentence, the professional named immediately before it is the person who performs 診る, while the recipient of that help is understood as the speaker, matching the fixed translation. For example, 医師に診てもらった means “I had a doctor examine me.” ほうがよさそうです is a polite recommendation pattern. ほうがいい means “it is better to,” while よさそうです means “seems good/better,” with よい changing to よさ before そうです. After V-てもらった, the pattern V-てもらったほうがよさそうです means “it seems it would be better to have someone do V for me.” The phrase is tentative rather than an absolute command. For example, 少し休んだほうがよさそうです means “It seems you should rest a little.” Together, 痛みが続くなら sets the condition, “if the pain continues.” 専門家に診てもらった says “have a professional examine me,” with に marking the person from whom that action is received. ほうがよさそうです presents this as a tentative recommendation. The whole utterance therefore means: “If it continues, I should probably see a professional.”

8. 特に、痛みが広がったり、眠りに影響し始めたりしたときです。

   Especially if the pain spreads or starts affecting your sleep.

   特に

   especially

   痛み

   pain

   広がったり

   spreads, as one listed possibility

   眠り

   sleep

   影響し始めたり

   starts affecting, as one listed possibility

   More detail

   特に means “especially” and focuses attention on what follows. The reusable pattern 特に〜 means “especially ~.” Example: 特に朝に痛みます。 means “It hurts especially in the morning.” 痛み is the noun “pain.” It is related to the verb 痛む (“to hurt; to be painful”), while 痛み names the pain itself. Example: 痛みが強いです。 means “The pain is severe.” 広がったり comes from the intransitive verb 広がる (“to spread; to expand”). 広がった is its past form, and adding り makes a 〜たり form. In a 〜たり、〜たりする pattern, たり lists actions or situations as examples rather than presenting an exhaustive list. Here, the pain spreading is one listed situation. Example: 痛みが広がったり、強くなったりします。 means “The pain may spread or become stronger.” 眠り means “sleep.” Japanese marks the thing affected by 影響する with に, so 眠りに影響する means “affect sleep.” The related verb 眠る means “to sleep,” whereas 眠り is the noun for sleep. The Japanese does not itself mark possession here; the fixed English translation expresses this as “your sleep.” Example: 眠りが浅いです。 means “My sleep is light.” 影響し始めたり combines 影響する (“to affect; to have an effect on”) with 始める (“to begin”). In 影響し始める, し is the stem form of する used before 始める, giving “begin to affect.” Its past form is 影響し始めた, and adding り produces 影響し始めたり, another listed situation. Example: 音が眠りに影響し始めました。 means “The noise started affecting my sleep.” ときです contains とき (“time; when”) and polite です. Here, the final した belongs to the larger 〜たり、〜たりした pattern: it is the past form of する that completes the list construction, rather than being a separate action meaning “did.” Thus 広がったり、影響し始めたりしたとき refers to a time or condition in which either listed change occurs. In this fixed utterance, the intended meaning is naturally rendered as “if the pain spreads or starts affecting your sleep.” Putting the parts together, 特に highlights the condition 痛みが広がったり、眠りに影響し始めたりしたとき: “Especially if the pain spreads or starts affecting your sleep.”

9. 今週は、小さな調整をして、それが役立つかどうかを記録できます。

   This week, I can make small adjustments and track whether they help.

   今週

   this week

   小さな

   small

   調整

   adjustment

   して

   doing; making

   それ

   that

   役立つ

   be useful; help

   かどうか

   whether

   記録できます

   can record; can track

   More detail

   今週 means “this week.” The ending は marks it as the topic, so the sentence is framed as something possible during this week. Example: 今週は忙しいです。 — “I’m busy this week.” 小さな means “small” here and directly modifies 調整. 小さな is an attributive form used before a noun; the related i-adjective is 小さい, as in 小さい変更 (“a small change”). The two forms are not interchangeable in every grammatical position: 小さな is used before a noun, while 小さい can also be used predicatively, as in 変更は小さいです (“The change is small”). 調整 is a noun meaning “adjustment.” With する, it forms the verb 調整する (“to make an adjustment” or “to adjust”). Here, 小さな調整 means “small adjustments” in the fixed translation, without changing the observed Japanese noun form. して is the te-form of する, the verb in 調整する. It connects this action to the following clause: “make adjustments and …” The te-form itself does not express the ability; the ability is expressed later by できます. Example: 確認して記録します。 — “I check it and record it.” それ is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” In this sentence it refers back to the adjustment or adjustment action just mentioned; the following clause asks whether that helps. The form それ does not itself identify a human participant or mark grammatical gender. 役立つ is the dictionary form meaning “to be useful” or “to help.” Its subject is the adjustment or action referred to by それ, so それが役立つ means “that helps” or “that is useful.” The particle が marks this clause’s subject. Example: この方法が役立つ。 — “This method is useful.” かどうか turns the preceding clause into an embedded yes-or-no question: 役立つかどうか means “whether it helps.” It does not mean simply “or”; it marks uncertainty between the clause being true and not being true. Example: 効果があるかどうか確認します。 — “I’ll check whether it is effective.” 記録できます means “can record” or, in this context, “can track.” It combines 記録する (“to record”) with できる (“can do”), followed by the polite form ます. The ability form is できます, not 記録 itself: 記録できます literally presents recording as possible. Here it takes the embedded question 役立つかどうか as what can be recorded: whether the adjustment helps. Together, 今週は sets this week as the topic, 小さな調整をして means “make small adjustments,” and それが役立つかどうかを記録できます means “can track whether they help.” The whole utterance is therefore: “This week, I can make small adjustments and track whether they help.”

10. 変更を続けるほうが、一度に大きく変えるより、たいてい効果を判断しやすいです。

    Consistent changes are usually easier to judge than one big change.

    変更

    change

    続ける

    continue

    ほうが

    the ... option is preferable

    一度に

    at once

    大きく

    substantially

    変える

    change

    より

    than

    たいてい

    usually

    効果

    effect

    判断しやすい

    easy to judge

    More detail

    変更 means “change” here as a change or adjustment. The noun is 変更, while the related verb is 変更する, “to change” or “to modify.” Example: 設定を変更する。—“Change the settings.” 続ける means “continue.” In 変更を続ける, it follows the object 変更を and says that the changes are continued. 続ける is a transitive verb: a person or other subject continues something. Example: 作業を続ける。—“Continue the work.” ほうが forms a comparison pattern with the preceding option: AほうがBより… means “A is more … than B” or “A is the easier/preferable option.” Here, 変更を続けるほうが is the first option being compared. The following より marks the second option. 一度に means “at once” or “in one go.” It describes the timing of the change, not the size by itself. Example: 一度に全部変えない。—“Do not change everything at once.” 大きく is the adverbial form of 大きい, “large.” In 一度に大きく変える, it means “change greatly” or “make a large-scale change.” The form 大きく modifies the verb 変える; it is not the base form of that verb. Example: 計画を大きく変える。—“Make a major change to the plan.” 変える means “to change something.” It is transitive and takes the thing changed with を. This differs from 変わる, “to change” or “to become different” without presenting an agent as changing something. Example: 方法を変える。—“Change the method.” より marks the comparison standard, meaning “than” in this construction. The complete pattern here is 変更を続けるほうが、一度に大きく変えるより…: “Continuing changes is … than making a large change at once.” たいてい means “usually” or “in most cases.” It qualifies the statement rather than making it absolute. Example: この方法はたいてい効果がある。—“This method usually has an effect.” 効果 means “effect” or “effectiveness.” In this sentence, it is the result or benefit whose quality can be judged. Example: 効果を確認する。—“Check the effect.” 判断しやすい means “easy to judge” or “easy to assess.” 判断する means “judge” or “assess,” and its ます-stem 判断し combines with やすい to express that an action is easy to perform. The pattern V-stem＋やすい is reusable: 読みやすい means “easy to read,” and 使いやすい means “easy to use.” Putting the parts together, 変更を続けるほうが presents continuing changes as the first comparison option. 一度に大きく変えるより presents making a large change all at once as the comparison standard. たいてい効果を判断しやすい says that, usually, the effect is easier to assess. The whole utterance means: “Consistent changes are usually easier to judge than one big change.”