Avoiding pain while working from home
While many people have been working from home during this time, the number of people complaining of spinal pain has increased. This is partly due to people sitting for longer periods, more Zoom meetings and because we are removed from our social working environment. We no longer need to walk around the office to talk to colleagues, walk to catch up in the teachers’ staff room and we no longer need to walk out for lunch or to grab a coffee.
In terms of ergonomics, we’ve seen how ingenious people have been with raising their desks up with books and boxes and how employers have risen to the challenge by providing sit-stand desks. You don’t need anything fancy but if you do need a sit-stand desk or foot rest, pop over to Select Office Supplies in Warragul.
So, let’s look at the things that can be changed as we move into a time when we hope more people can continue to work from home.
Aim to stand every 30 minutes or stand when you have meetings (Use the Pomodoro App to work in small chunks of time)
Go for a walk before you have your coffee at home or lunch, just as you would when you were working, or have a walking meeting in the fresh air (unless it’s very confidential!).
Try implementing the 20-20-20 rule to avoid eye strain. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Look out at all the veggies you’ve planted.
2 minutes of mindfulness can increase your productivity and leave you feeling more alert – take 2 minutes to think of 5 things you can hear and really listen for those things in the background (try to do this outside or by a window). Stress in the workplace is a risk factor for pain.
Avoid using a firm wrist rest as this can compress the area leading to carpel tunnel symptoms. Have the mouse close to the keyboard with the screen at eye level.
Aim for 7-8hours of sleep (we have a blog dedicated to this on our website)
Stretches: 1.
Take your head down and diagonal towards your underarm (sniff sniff!)
Stretch hands above your head as if climbing an imaginary ladder
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Place palms together and lift elbows to stretch wrists. Then place the backs of your hands together for a reverse prayer stretch
Place hands behind your head and then push the head back into the hands, but don’t let the head move as you tuck your chin. Then push elbows out to stretch the chest area.
Rotate the head side to side, then place the arms out straight at shoulder height and rotate the upper back side to side too.
Need an ergonomics assessment or relief from your pain? Come and see the team at PRG.
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