.   BLOG   .

DOES WORKING FROM HOME REALLY CAUSE ANY STRAINS?

Creating a healthy workspace was not a priority when offices closed and people with desk jobs switched to working from home last year, as many were hoping to be back to their workplaces within a few weeks. However, as the pandemic’s one-year anniversary approached, chiropractors and orthopedics noticed a strong link with the theory of that working from home has resulted in more back and neck pain for many people.

CAUSES OF BACK PAIN

It is no secret that most residential settings don’t have enough space to accommodate the typical ergonomic office furniture. Therefore, people working from home are most likely either using their computer on a regular table, a kitchen countertop, a lounge chair or maybe on a bed. Whatever workstation they land on for the day, chances are they aren’t in a healthy posture.

WHAT EFFECT DOES WORKING IN A SETTING OTHER THAN A TRADITIONAL OFFICE AND DESK HAVE ON THE BACK, SPINE, AND NECK?

Although some offices have recently reponed, that’s not the situation for many people. Their work from home habits has become their “new norm”. According to recent studies, increased inactivity and poor posture seemed to encourage lower back pain and neck pain as spending hours in the wrong posture is harmful to joints and muscles, which would affect the proficiency of employees and may affect not only their physical status, but their mental health as well.

ERGONOMICS AND ORTHOTICS TO THE RESCUE

The good news is that luckily, experts say it can be easily managed and controlled at home, without any serious medical interference. It can be both prevented and treated simply with some physical precautions such as regular movement, setting an ergonomically friendly workstation and adjusting screen heights at eye level to prevent neck and back strains, along side with the use of orthotics when necessary.