Working from home comes with many perks: setting your own hours, wearing pajamas or more comfortable clothing, the chance to catch quick breaks throughout the day without feeling guilty. But there is oftentimes a downside to working from home, especially if you are working from a computer all day: pain. The pain can come from a variety of sources, and to achieve better pain management, lean on Innovative Pain Solutions. Located in Orlando, we have been helping people with their chronic pain for years, and can help you too.
A New Kind Of Office
With this last year, many Americans found themselves working from home for an indefinite amount of time. A return to normalcy may still be a ways away as well, leaving your living room as a temporary office for now. And working 9-5 at a computer may not be the only time you’re using technology, either, as many people are using video conferencing and other online chatting options to stay in touch with friends and family instead of meeting in person. All this digital living may not seem to be making a difference in your health, but posture issues can arise after short or long term exposure, leaving your body in pain and discomfort after work.
Pain Management
Many Americans don’t realize what kind of toll they are taking on their bodies while at the computer or on their phone. Poor posture can dramatically affect your health, though, and can only get worse as more time goes by. The human form should be moving freely throughout the day, and looking down at your phone, slouching, and bending forward at a computer will only hurt your muscles and spine over time. Combine that with a makeshift desk at home, and your back or neck problems can worsen quickly.
Performing repetitive motions all day long in a less than ideal position can lead to numbness, tingling, and pain in the hands, fingers and arms. Carpal tunnel syndrome, an irritation at the wrist of the median nerve, is a common condition from repetitive motions such as typing, writing, and repetitive grasping of objects. Other common conditions include inflammation of the tendons in the forearms connected to the elbow, along with tenderness and muscle pain around the top of the shoulders and back of the neck.
To better improve your posture, there are some simple steps you can take to make a huge difference in keeping your body in the correct posture. For your workspace, make sure your desk or table you’re working from is level with your bent elbows when typing and at the keyboard. Your arms shouldn’t angle downwards or upwards, and neither should your wrists. For an improved desk chair experience, make sure your armrests are adjusted so that the angle of your elbow to your wrist is 90 degrees to your torso. The height of the seat should also allow your feet to rest flat on the floor, ensuring your thighs and shins are at a 90 degree angle as well. Remember to add support to your lower back in order to sit up straighter, and keep your head and torso in a more erect position too.
Remember To Move Around
Even with improved posture at your workspace, you may still feel achy or have discomfort during the day from sitting still for extended amounts of time. Set a timer for thirty minute increments to remind yourself to get up and stretch or switch positions, all while remaining straight-backed, of course. Utilize whatever other technology you may need to ensure you’re sitting at the right angles, whether it’s using books to prop your laptop up to a better height, or buying a headset instead of holding a phone between your shoulders. Even simple, quick steps can help alleviate any discomfort you may experience throughout the day, and improve your overall posture.
Contact Us
Are you ready to explore more pain management options related to your workspace? Innovative Pain Solutions can assist you in delivering the best treatment options available. Located in Orlando, our services range from helping herniated discs and whiplash, to PRP and stem cell therapies. Call us today!
