Working from home can cause back pain. The majority of people work at a desk or kitchen table for long hours during the day, which can put increased pressure on the structures of your spine. Others work on the sofa or even a low coffee table which increases the pressure on the spinal joints and muscles.
Back pain, neck pain and headaches are three of the most common ailments that people experience while working from home. Although it might seem nearly impossible to avoid sitting down all day, there are a few things you can do throughout the workday to minimise back pain.
Get Back Pain Relief Working From Home
You could consider getting a laptop stand which will allow you to work standing up. It’s also an idea to get creative – perhaps use a kitchen counter or a chest of drawers as a DIY standing desk, for example. Build in a ‘standing hour’ and mark it in your diary as a reminder to get up and get moving.
If you absolutely have to sit down for long hours, it’s important to choose an appropriate chair to ensure good posture during the working day. A work chair should have an adjustable height and seat tilt. Additionally, choosing a chair with the right amount of lumbar support is critical. Watch this video for a full run down of the ideal home office chair and our recommendation:
Video: 5 Top Tips for the Best Home Office Chair
How To Help Home Office Back Pain
Here are some essential tips to keep you comfortable:
- Arrange your monitor so that the top of your screen lines up with your eyes. Stacking books is a good way to add height easily.
- Keep your screen at arm’s length.
- Your desk height should be set just below your elbow.
- If your feet don’t rest flat on the ground, you’ll need to use a foot rest.
- Relax those shoulders.
- Make sure your keyboard and mouse are within easy reach. Try and keep your elbows comfortably by your sides.
- Don’t jam the backs of your knees against the chair seat. There should be a 5cm or 2 inch gap between them.
- Placing your thighs parallel to the floor allows you to sit in a supported position.
Another way to practise good posture whilst working is to use an exercise ball, which engages muscles in your body that would normally be relaxed when sitting in a regular chair. Sitting on an exercise ball also makes it more difficult to slouch since you need to be active in order to balance. You might consider getting a ‘Sitfit’, an air-filled seat pad, designed for ‘ergonomically correct sitting’. It encourages you to adjust your posture unconsciously, building up the muscles in the back, legs and pelvic floor and improving your balance.
Stretching once an hour is also helpful in minimising back pain whilst working. Taking regular breaks every hour can also help prevent further back pain. A good tip to build in movement is to keep a glass of water just out of reach: make yourself stretch for a drink and get up and walk about to replenish your glass.
And, of course, don’t forget to book in for a chiropractic check-up here at Sundial.