Prevent Back Pain While Working From Home
A What causes a herniated disc?
Have you ever tried to work while lying in bed or on the sofa? You may think you would be comfortable with it, but we bet you would end up with pain in your neck, shoulder, or back muscles.
Working consistently for hours on your laptop can cause pain in your back and neck. Even worse, many people work by leaning over the kitchen counter or a coffee table rather than sitting at a desk or table with a chair. The best technique to lessen or even avoid neck or back pain is to make some modifications to your workplace.
Set Up Your Home Workplace
A comfortable workplace will help you feel better physically and significantly enhances your productivity. To work comfortably for long hours with good posture, invest in some practical office tools to support your physical health. Good office ergonomics includes the good posture at the desk, correct seat height and footrest will help keep your joints and muscles comfortable.
Well-Being & Ergonomic Tips To Support Your Back
Despite purchasing a comfortable chair that helps your back curvature, you can still feel back pain while working. Before replacing the chair, consider your behavior towards the following points as your ergonomic office chair may not be the reason.
- Movement Is Medicine: You may notice your step count decreases when you work from home. Regular exercise and stretching, especially at home, is an essential part of protecting your spine during the day. Keeping this in mind while working at home is often more difficult than working with colleagues in an office setting. Set an automatic reminder on your phone. Regular, low-impact aerobic activity will provide ample blood flow to your tissues and can help reduce back pain.
- Check Your Posture: Sitting for long periods and leaning forward can cause back pain. The correct sitting position is upright. The benefits of sitting upright, It keeps bones and joints balanced, supporting ligaments and muscles, while precluding muscle lethargy. Additionally, the spine is unstable in an abnormal position. Remember to sit fully in your seat to take full advantage of the lumbar support that will be in your favor. The knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle with your feet supported by a footrest or flat on the ground.
- Keep Your Neck Straight: Whether you're reviewing documents or viewing your screen, everything you see should be at comfortable viewing height. If you tilt the screen too much, you will have to bend your neck to work and result in neck pain from turning. When working from home, you might not have the same setup as the desk, but all you need is a stack of papers or books to raise the screen to your eye level. The same goes for reading documents; placing your papers flat on the table will keep your head moving up and down. Try a stand or a vertical document holder and put it next to your screen for easy viewing.
- Place The Keyboard And Mouse At A Comfortable Height: If your laptop is raised with the screen at eye level, try using a separate keyboard and mouse. When using the mouse, your forearms and hands should be straight and level, and your arm should be close to your side. Having your arm as your side prevents nerves from pinching together. When you stretch it to the side, it increases the risk of straining the neck or shoulder.
- Use Voice Input: Most laptops, computers, and phones have voice recognition software. This is a useful tool that works with most texts and emails. This gives your wrists, hands, and arms a rest time.
- Sit With Your Feet Flat: Sitting with your feet flat on the floor is a great way to maintain the correct posture and protect your body. Letting your feet to swing or pulling under the chair if they don't reach the floor increases pressure under the thigh and restricts blood flow to the feet and lower legs, increasing the risk of thrombosis.
- Avoid Sitting Or Standing A Lot: If you follow our blogs, you know the dangers of prolonged sitting. It is essential to get up and move around at least once an hour to avoid sitting. This helps both mentally and physically. Not only will your brain take a break, but your back and legs will be pleasantly stretched, bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients to your whole body. But just because prolonged sitting is dangerous doesn't mean you have to stand up all day. Staying still all day is not healthy, but standing too much can put pressure on your legs, feet, and circulatory system. Switching between sitting and standing positions is a safe bet, but like almost anything, sitting or standing too much can be harmful to your health.
- Mindful Breathing: Proper breathing relaxes the body and muscles in the middle and lower back. Breathing exercises can be a method to overcome lower back pain. Just focus on your breathing - inhale and try to bring your navel toward your spine, then exhale. This breathing exercise works your core muscles and supports your upper body.
The Takeaway
When buying a new backpack for a child or yourself, worry less about what is fashionable and more about what will prevent any injury and pain. Avoid buying a one-shoulder backpack, instead consider buying a two shoulder backpack with padded straps. Be sure to wear both straps, having a backpack sagging off of one shoulder isn’t as cool as people make it out to be. Always remember to position it correctly and take caution when putting it on as well as taking it off!
Contact us today! Family Chiropractic Plus is dedicated to your overall health and well-being. Which is why we offer regular chiropractic adjustments in order to restore your body’s natural state of optimal health, while also providing it with the support it needs to heal from any injury, big or small.
