Pain from sitting?

With more people now working from home and online for more hours than previously, people are noticing more pain. This is commonly felt in the neck, mid-back, and low back. There are a couple easy things you can do at home to help eliminate some of these pains.

Neck pain is caused by having your head forward and looking down at your screen for too long. Try elevating your monitor so that you can look straight ahead and see the middle of the screen. No need for an expensive standing desk or monitor lifts, some old college textbooks can work perfectly. The next step is to place the monitor directly in front of you. Turning your head to one side all day is going to place extra strain on the muscles and joints in your neck. Last step is to try to pull your head back so that your ears are over your shoulders.

For the mid and low back, proper sitting posture and frequent breaks are your best bet. When you are sitting in your chair, push your butt all the way to the back of the seat. Sit as tall as you can and then lean back slightly. From this position, you can relax down and allow the lumbar support to help push your back upwards. Try squeezing your shoulder blades together and hold for 20 seconds at a time. Most people allow their shoulders to slouch forward which rounds out their back, causing pain just below their shoulder blades.

The last step is my personal favorite. Set a timer for 25 minutes. During this time, turn off all other distractions and focus on one single task. At the end of the time, get up and walk around for 5 minutes. This is a great time to walk over to the water cooler or sink and get a drink of water. Don’t just sip from your water bottle at your desk, get up, and move around. When you get back to your desk set another timer. You can continue to work on the same task or pick another. But keep working in 25-minute chunks without distractions and take those water and walking breaks.

Doing these simple steps can help you avoid pain while working. Also, a visit to your local chiropractor or even an online appointment can provide additional relief. If you feel you need more help or have any questions, please reach out.

Yours in health,

Dr. Duncan