The pandemic has drastically affected the lives of billions of people from all walks of life. For example, millions of people have transitioned to working from home instead of working in person at the office.
Some people have also transformed their living room into a makeshift office. Working from the sofa may feel comfortable during the first few days, but it’s hard not to fall into a slouch over time, as its design is not ideal for long-term sedentary work.
How To Combat Back Pain While Working From Home
A few weeks will pass, and you will likely start to feel some aches and pains, especially around your lower back. The eight tips provided below will show you how to alleviate back pain while working from home.
1. Maintain Good Posture
Try to keep your spine as straight as possible. Your computer or laptop monitor should also be at eye level to help maintain proper posture.
As for your knees, they should be at a 90-degree vertical bend while you are working. The small of your back is particularly vulnerable to back spasms and other back-related problems.
Try and mitigate such issues by placing a cushion on the small of your back. Or, you can roll up a towel instead and put it on the small of your back.
2. Adjust Your Computer Monitor
You can help relieve pressure from your back and maintain your precious eyesight by adjusting your monitor accordingly.
Place its height so that it is at eye level. If you have a laptop and need to increase its height, you can purchase an adjustable table stand.
You can also hold your elbow at a 90-degree angle and extend your screen using an external mouse and keyboard.
3. Take Frequent Breaks
While maintaining optimal posture for an entire 8-hour shift is something to strive for, it is not a perfect solution. You will likely still experience some stiffness or soreness due to the lack of movement variability.
We would suggest that you take a break every 20 minutes. Use the time to relax and stretch your muscles and get some fresh air to clear your mind.
Known as the 20/20/20 rule, most experts agree that office workers should take a break every 20 minutes. They should also stare 20 feet directly in front of them for 20 seconds. Repeat this to help your eyes rest. While back pain can be devastating, a migraine and severe eye strain due to overwork can be just as bad in some cases.
4. Keep Hydrated
Your muscles and skin will stay hydrated by drinking 7 to 8 glasses of water per day. Your hard-working muscles will need to expel waste while you are forced into a fixed desk or typing position.
Drinking plenty of water will force you to take necessary bathroom breaks that will get you moving. Fill up your bottle first thing in the morning and get up for refills as soon as it is empty.
5. Limit the Time You Work on Your Bed
When you work on your bed, you will curve your back into a “C” formation. The “C” will begin at your neck and work its way down to your lower back. Your legs will also likely be crossed for your laptop to be placed on your lap.
The result is that your laptop’s screen will be too low for you to enjoy optimal screen viewing. This will force you to lean forward to read what’s on the screen, making the bed a very poor workspace.
If you need to work on your bed, place a pillow underneath your laptop to be closer to your eye level. Hopefully, you won’t have to bend over to read the screen, which will reduce the pressure on your lower back.
6. Breathe Mindfully
The muscles of the lower and middle back will begin to relax when you practice proper breathing. Studies have found that mindful breathing will trigger the nervous system to help the rest of your body relax, easing back stiffness.
7. Massage in Your Home
Using a foam roller to loosen up the stiffness in your back can be a low-cost way to manage your discomfort. However, it’s no comparison to the skilled hands of a professional massage therapist.
When your back pain gets the better of you, it can be hard to muster the energy to rub away the aches on your own. Consider the convenience of booking an in-home massage, where the massage therapist travels to you toting their portable massage table.
8. Chiropractic Treatment
It can be hard to obtain relief while working at home if dealing with back pain, especially during a pandemic.
However, you can turn to a licensed chiropractor to get relief from back pain.
Using chiropractic care to manage your back pain is safe, quick, painless. Also, chiropractic treatments are more affordable than many other techniques and procedures.
Conclusion
If you follow good habits while working from home, you will be far less likely to develop debilitating back problems. Minimal effort is required to follow these tips, and they will be easier to incorporate into your routine if you currently work from home.
The tips we have provided should significantly reduce back pain issues and help optimize your overall mental and physical well-being. However, if you are currently dealing with painful back issues, do not wait until they worsen. While painkillers and ointments may help relieve pain, they are only a temporary solution.
A massage therapist or chiropractor will be able to help you obtain near-immediate relief so that you can get back to work at your best. They will identify the root cause of your back pain to treat the problem at the source effectively.
For more information on alleviating back pain, get in touch with your local chiropractor or massage therapist.
