work from home

How To Prevent Back And Neck Pain If You Work From Home

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

work from homeThe COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed how business is conducted, with millions of Americans now working from the comfort of their home. Some workers will undoubtedly head back to the office if they aren’t already there, but countless workers will stick with a work from home schedule or have more remote work days than they did in the past.

This schedule flexibility may be nice, but working from home can present its own unique challenges for your neck and spine. In today’s blog, we share some tips for preventing back and neck pain if you’ll be working from home more often going forward.

Working From Home And Your Spine

Here’s a look at a number of different ways that working from home can challenge your back and neck, and what you can do to prevent pain from setting in:

1. Check Your Seat – If you’re working from home, you may have the luxury of choosing where you’d like to set up your office. Maybe you can get some work done from from the bedroom, perhaps you work on the couch, or maybe your strong WIFI signal allows you to work from the patio. These spots may not be as supportive for your spine compared to your office chair, so you really need to be mindful of your posture in these positions. Better yet, only work from a chair that provides ample support to your spine.

2. Practice Good Posture – Even if your chair is supportive, you need to make sure you have good posture when you’re seated. Don’t hunch forward or lean back, because this will put excess pressure on your cervical and lumbar spine. Strive to keep your head positioned directly above your shoulders and perform regular posture checks so that you can correct your posture if you catch yourself leaning or slouching.

3. Invest In An Office Chair – If you’re going to be working from home on a long-term basis, it may be in your best interest to invest in a quality office chair. Odds are a nicer office chair will be more supportive than any chair you have in your house at the moment, and that new chair can go a long way in helping protect your spine for years to come.

4. Strive To Exercise And Be Active – Sometimes it’s easy to fall into bad exercise habits if we don’t have to get out of the house every day, especially if you used to work out on your way home from the office. Still make it a point to get regular exercise if you have the freedom to work from home. You’re probably saving a little time by not having to commute to and from work, so dedicate that time to a workout. This will help to strengthen and protect your spine.

5. Talk To A Chronic Pain Specialist – Finally, if you are starting to develop some neck or back pain, reach out to a chronic pain specialist. They’ll be able to take a look at your spine and talk about the ergonomics of your work from home setup to see if simple changes can help relieve your back pain. If your just try to ignore back pain, odds are it only will get worse. Connect with a chronic pain specialist and take care of your spine today.

For more information, or for help with your back pain, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today.

5 Ways to Work Ergonomically

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

working homeThe following is a guest blog by freelance writer Jessica Boyle.

Desk workers are more prone to chronic pain due to long hours of working in one position — especially if you’re in an environment with poor ergonomics. While it seems harmless, poor ergonomics can inevitably cause multiple health problems, including aching in the neck, lower back, and shoulders. Fortunately, there are many ways to personally manage your own chronic pain, and one thing that can provide immediate relief is creating a more ergonomic workspace.

That being said, here are a few ways you can work ergonomically:

Customize your desk and monitor – The default setup of your desk may not be the most ergonomic, so don’t be afraid to adjust a few things to ensure you’re not physically straining yourself. For one, make sure that your mouse and keyboard are positioned in such a way that your wrists are straight and your shoulders are relaxed while working. Your monitor should be directly in front of you, with the top of the screen at eye level. Additionally, you may want to get a laptop stand or a monitor arm if you’re using a desktop computer. To minimize clutter, get a desk organizer that can keep your essentials in one place.

Switch between sitting and standing – Aside from the aforementioned body aches, sitting for too long has even more dangers — such as increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. You may think getting up to go to the bathroom or get water is enough, but you need more movement to compensate for all that sitting. In this regard, a standing desk can help you combat those negative side effects. It gives you some physical activity even when you’re just standing in front of your computer. Plus, it reduces back pain and lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Support your posture and back – The best seated posture is similar to sitting in the driver’s seat of a car: slightly leaning back, but ensuring that your screen is still at eye level. If your chair doesn’t have lumbar support, you can place a rolled up towel or a lumbar support pillow to ease pressure on your lower back. Moreover, check that the back of your knees aren’t touching the seat — as this could lead to swelling feet and ankles due to reduced blood flow.

Use ergonomic accessories – As its name suggests, these are accessories that help reduce the strain on your body — similar to ergonomic furniture. A few examples are split keyboards that let you type in a more natural posture, a mouse with a curve that’s easy to hold, and an anti-glare screen that helps reduce eye fatigue. All these little tools can make a huge difference to your productivity and overall wellness.

Take breaks to move – The above points can only help so much. It’s important that you still make an effort to take breaks to stretch your body, so you can relieve some pressure and get a mental breather as well. If you’re pressed for time, you can do stretches right there at your desk. But as much as possible, make time to get away from your desk — whether you’re just going for a quick walk or a 30-minute workout. Incorporating movement during your work day promotes circulation, keeps you awake, and activates your muscles. A recipe for better quality of work indeed.