3 Proven Ways to Stop Back Pain When You’re Stuck at Your Desk
Whether you work from home, at the office, or from a coworking space, odds are you’ve experienced the pain of slouching over a computer day after day. This likely means that your neck and back are suffering, and may have even been the cause of a few sick days here and there.
The good news is, there are ways to prevent this back pain from happening, or even minimizing it while it’s occurring. In this article, we take a look at 3 proven ways to stop back pain when you’re stuck at your desk, so you don’t end up with persistent and long-term symptoms.
Adjust your workspace
Did you know that adjusting your workspace to an appropriate height may make a significant difference to your back and neck? It’s likely that you’ve been working at a height that has caused you to have to slump over your desk, affecting your overall posture.
Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine tells us why adjusting your chair and/or your workspace could make a big difference in how you feel physically:
“Proper care for your back starts with adjusting your work environment. Whether you use an office desk or another type of workstation, you need to set it to a height that you will be most comfortable working at for long periods of time.”
Find time to breathe and leave your screen
One of the most important ways to prevent injury as a result of sitting at a desk all day is to take time to stop working during the day. While getting up and walking around once every hour can be highly beneficial to your neck and back, taking this break can also prevent eye strain, stress, and injury.
Allwork.Space explains why taking a few moments to leave your screen is highly beneficial to your mind, body, and spirit:
“Everyone breathes, right? So this may sound a bit odd. But spending a few minutes breathing deeply and with focus can help you minimize stress and concentrate on the task at hand. Try setting a timer for every hour or so and remember to take a few deep breaths. Also, when that alarm goes off, look away from your screen. This gives your eye muscles some variety from staring at the screen, reducing strain.”
Check your posture
You’ve probably gotten used to the action of slumping over your desk, with any other position now seeming uncomfortable. However, by sitting straight and practicing correct posture, you will not only be more comfortable over time, but you will prevent injury to your back.
The Joint Chiropractic tells us why it’s important to check your posture when sitting at your desk:
“Chiropractors have long taught the importance of using correct posture as the best way to prevent back pain and injury to the spine. Research suggests that very few people use such posture. Many chiropractors know that correct posture may not come naturally, therefore suggest patients practice such posture by utilizing stretches and yoga.”
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