Postural and exercise tips for working from home
MANY people have recently switched to working from home amid the Covid-19 pandemic and this week we hope to provide a few tips on how to reduce the risk of developing postural or work related neck or back pain and stiffness.
Back and neck pain arising from poor work postures are common work related problems that we as Chartered Physiotherapists see regularly.
These problems may be exacerbated now, especially if we are working in less than ideal ergonomic situations at home.
If you are working from home on a laptop with your head and shoulders dropping forward this will likely result in neck, shoulder and lower back stiffness. Most evidence based research would suggest that the key to preventing the onset of stiffness and subsequent pain is maintaining good posture and regular movement.
Tips for improving your work posture Adjust your chair height if possible so your feet are flat on the floor, or on a small foot rest. Your shoulders should be relaxed and elbows at a right angle when your hands are on the key board. If you don’t have an adjustable chair maybe use pillows or cushions
Adjust back rest so your back is fully supported, a rolled up towel at your back (waist level) can be helpful here
Keyboard and screen should be directly in front of you so you can look straight ahead.
For laptop users an external monitor, keyboard and mouse are invaluable. If these are not available a laptop riser or even a few books would allow you to bring the monitor up to your eye level. Avoid using laptop on a couch or hunched over a coffee table.
Try to limit time spent with your head in a bent forward position when using small screens e.g. phones tablets etc.
Regular breaks are helpful ideally change you position every 30 minutes or so by standing up to take a phone call, or just to walk or stretch at your desk.
Try and get out for a short walk at lunch time even if only for 10 minutes
Keep area under your desk free from clutter so you can stretch or move your legs under the desk
If you are investing in a new workstation for home use consider a sit – stand desk which allows you to easily vary your position from time to time
Exercise
Research shows that about two-thirds of the population experience neck / back pain at some point in their lives.
Our bodies are designed to move so try to break up your work day with stretching, adjusting you posture regularly and walking.
For the office based worker neck pain can often be caused by muscular tightness or joint stiffness in the neck and upper back.
Specific exercise therapy can be very effective in relieving these symptoms. Below are some simple exercises that could be helpful to keep us mobile and reduce pain whilst working from home.
As always any individuals with specific underlying medical problems or any longstanding or severe neck or back pain a full assessment by your Chartered Physiotherapist and/or GP would be recommended before commencing any exercise programme. For more information see www.sligophysiotherapy.ie
Or other useful websites www.iscp.ie or www.csp.org.uk where you can download brochures on posture, exercise advise etc.