Finding pain while working from home?

Thanks to the COVID- 19 pandemic a large percentage of workers have switched permanently to home working. From my experience in clinic, some individuals love it, some not so much, but regardless of your thoughts on home working it can lead to some detrimental changes in your physical health.  Most modern offices will have been set up to provide ideal sitting positions to support our body through the long working day.  Going from the office enviroment to working in the kitchen or on the sofa can have a negative effect on our spinal position and lead to neck, shoulder, and lower back issues. This blog will aim to offer some advice and guidance for anyone who has found themselves working from home.

So, what is the ideal sitting posture?

There is no such thing as the right working posture! we are designed to be up and moving, for this reason the best way to combat lower back and joint problems is to get up and move as much as possible during the working day.  A good tip is to set an alarm on your phone, every 30 minutes to remind you to get up and have walk about.

How do you maintain the best working environment?

Place all your equipment in and easy to reach position. Stretching out your arms to use the mouse or to type on your keyboard puts extra pressure on the muscles in your shoulders. These muscles can easily become tight causing neck and shoulder pain.

Office chairs have built in armrests, these are important to take the weight of your arms away from your neck and shoulder muscles. If you do not have a chair with armrests at home, make sure your arms are able to rest comfortably on the table whilst working. If you have a breakfast bar, spend some of the day standing. Setting up a standing desk workstation will reduce the effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time.

Finally Stay hydrated!  if you’re dehydrated, you can end up with muscle soreness. When you are working for hours in front of a computer, it can be easy to forget about drinking water or eating at the right time. Setting reminders can help a lot, also the more you drink the more you will have to get up and use the toilet, once again keeping you moving is key.

If you are suffering from any neck, shoulder or back pain as a result of your new working conditions you can give us a call on 01202 604707 or email admin@wimbornewellnesscentre.co.uk.