The file you are looking for no longer exists. Please use the menu on the right to navigate to the section or document you're looking for.What Causes Back Pain? Back pain is the second most common cause of missing work (only after the common cold) and contributes to about 93 million lost workdays and $5 billion in health care costs every year! An astounding eight out of ten people will have back pain at some point in their lives and one in four Americans currently experience back pain. Back pain that lasts more than three months is considered chronic, a type of pain Harvard, Stanford and McGill neuroscientists, who study brain function, say impairs more than your physical body. Chronic pain actually alters brain function, impairing attention, short-term memory, judgement and social skills! Additionally, Harvard Medical Center reports that chronic pain contributes to mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, sleeping difficulties and coping skills, damaging relationships with friends, family and significant others.
People who work in offices are more likely to suffer chronic back pain than people who have a physically demanding job! How your body is positioned throughout the day is a major contributor to back and neck pain. The three most common causes of back pain are Here are some tips anyone can use to optimize their workstation to reduce back pain. Customize Your Chair and Desk! Dr. Scott Donkin, founder of Occupational Health and Wellness Solutions consults workplaces on safety, ergonomic and health issue and states that the act of leaning forward in your chair crushes the disks in your lower back and puts strain on your neck and shoulders. San Francisco State University’s Dr. Erik Peper recommends these tips to help yourself naturally lean back as you work. 1.) Support the natural curve of your spine! Office chairs should have lumbar support, a natural forward curve at belly button level. You can also put a pillow or rolled up towel behind your back to achieve this effect.
2.) Adjust the height of your chair so you can keep your feet flat on the floor and your knees at 90-degree angles. You can also rest your feet on a prop, like a footrest or even a phone book, for extra support. Crossing your legs tightly reduces circulation in your legs and causes varicose veins, which look dark blue on your skin! 3.) Remove or lower the armrests so your arms are at 90-degree angles. This will encourage you to hold your shoulders low, which your upper back will appreciate! 4.) Keep your monitor about an arms length away and at or slightly below eye level. This will encourage you to sit back, instead of lean forward and reduces neck strain. If you find yourself squinting at your monitor, adjust the lighting to reduce strain on the eyes. Many people tuck their phone between their head and shoulder to free up their hands while talking, causing strain to their neck and shoulders. Try the following alternatives to avoid tucking your phone during your conversations.
1.) Use a headset or speakerphone if your conversation lasts more than 5 minutes or you need to take notes during the call. 2.) Hold the phone in your hand and switch between your right and left sides throughout the conversation. People are made to move! Sitting (or even standing) in one position for an 8 hour workday can wreak havoc on your body! 1.) Take short breaks, called micro breaks, once every hour to use the restroom, get a glass of water, visit the copy machine or just stretch. Sitting for long periods of time can weaken the muscles in your back. Stretching for just 60 seconds is enough to offset these negative effects of sitting. 2.) Researchers suggest at least half your hours at work should be spent standing up. If you have a sit-stand workstation, alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. 3.) Strengthening your core muscles with exercise, such as yoga, pilates or sit-ups works your stomach as well your back, which naturally improves your posture and reduces pain.
To learn more about sit-stand workstation, check out Ergotron’s website. For more resources on creating a healthy workstation (including links to programs reminding you to take micro breaks), check out OSHAs recommendations on comfortable sitting at work! Dr. Peper also has some great resources on his website, including clocks reminding you when to take micro breaks at work.It can be rough on a person to sit because of the pain that they feel. Which people will suffer neck and shoulder pain when they are sitting? Learn that and more below so you can know what to do to be safe. When you’re dealing with sitting you have to have the best posture possible or you’re going to have pain. A lot of people don’t care about this when they are young, but as they age they get heavier and feel more of the pain than before. What this means is that anyone can have neck and shoulder pain if they are not careful and work on how they are sitting at their desk at all times. Let younger people know about this because it can be some of the hardest pain to deal with if you are not careful.
Pain can happen at any time, and you may not realize where it’s coming from. For instance, you may think that your shoulders and neck are in terrible shape because of how you work out or for another reason, but in reality it comes from how you sit when you’re on a computer or even at home watching TV. People tend to be a little bit laid back and so they start to sit in bad positions. You don’t want this to happen to you, so be mindful of how you sit no matter if it is at work or home. Which people will suffer neck and shoulder pain when they are sitting? Now you have answers that should help you to pin down what can cause problems. Anyone is able to suffer from this if they aren’t careful, so be wary of what your posture is like when sitting. Many people who sit for most of the day at work develop problems with their neck and back. These problems are usually due to the lack of proper seating. Purchasing an ergonomic chair or asking your employer to provide one can offer relief from these issues.
These special chairs help you sit in a proper position. They work by keeping the back, legs, and neck properly aligned. A properly adjusted ergonomic chair will save you a lot of trips to the chiropractor and even to the doctor. There are several different types of chairs that you can choose from, depending on the type of pain you’re experiencing from a normal office chair. One of the most common maladies people complain about is neck pain. This occurs from not being seated properly and having your head bent at a downward or upward angle for an elongated period of time. For this type of problem you want a chair that will support your spine and keep your neck straight as well. You’ll also want to choose a chair that you can easily adjust, so that it works well with the type of desk you’re using. You want to keep your feet flat on the floor and be able to comfortably rest your arms on top of the desk and keyboard tray. You’ll also want to be able to view your computer without bending your back or having to angle your neck up or down to see the screen.
The best way to find the chair that’s right for you is to try them out. They can be found at most office supply stores. For neck and back problems, ergonomic chairs can help a great deal and save on expensive medical bills. Find a chair that you can adjust to both your body type and your work area. Make sure that your spine, neck and legs are postured correctly and your pain should go away. When you think of office chairs, neck pain may be one of the last things that comes to mind. In fact, however, your chair can play a key role in whether or not you develop neck pain throughout the day at work. Choosing a chair that provides adequate support for the neck is essential if you want to make it to the end of the day without experiencing pain. One of the most important features of a chair in terms of preventing neck pain is a headrest. Headrests on office chairs are not designed to be used constantly. For instance, while you are typing, you should be in an upright position with your head positioned in line with your monitor.