Tips For Preventing Back Pain While Working From Home

Everywhere you look these days, companies are taking their workforce virtual, which means less time standing and walking around the office and more time in front of the computer. And if you’re working from home, you know full well how tight and sore your back and neck can get from staring at your computer screen and paperwork all day. 

There’s nothing quite like rolling out of bed, staying in your pj’s, and working from the couch on your laptop every day and getting paid to do it. But the chiropractic specialists at Impact Medical Lutz understand that consequences can lead to bad posture and chronic pain in your neck and back if they go untreated. 

Here are some of our pro tips that will help prevent back pain while you’re working from home:

Keep Your Neck Straight

Be sure to put your screen at a comfortable viewing height when working from home. You don’t want to be looking down at your screen constantly and be sure not to angle your monitor so that you have to twist your neck to see it. Even the slight swiveling of your neck with your keyboard and mouse at an angle can cause long-term strain and pain in your neck and back. 

Use A Low Back Support

Whether you buy one online or roll up a bath towel or sweatshirt into a log, having lower back support makes an immense impact in reducing back pain. Why? Because it forces you to sit up straighter to keep the support in the proper place, and it naturally improves your posture. 

Keep Your Feet Flat When Working

While working from home, the couch may sound ideal, but it’s bad for your posture. You want to be sure that your feet are resting flat on either the floor or on a foot support when you’re sitting down. You don’t want to let your feet dangle in the air or pull them back underneath your chair because this puts undue pressure under your thighs, restricts blood flow to your lower legs, and can increase the risk of causing a deep vein thrombosis. 

Keep Your Keyboard and Mouse At A Comfortable, Natural Height In Front Of You.

It’s essential to ensure that your keyboard and mouse are centered on your monitor and at a comfortable, natural height for your arms in front of you. If you’ve had to raise your laptop screen using books or a laptop stand, you want to use a separate mouse and keyboard when working from home. Always keep your forearms and hands level and straight, and keep your arm close to your body when using your mouse. This is important because the nerves in your hand leave your neck and run down through your shoulder, into your elbow, and then your wrist. If your arm is at your side, your nerves aren’t being compressed. However, the more you stretch your arm out to the side, the higher the risk of straining your neck or shoulder. 

Don’t Sit or Stand Too Much.

You don’t want to over-sit when you’re working from home. It’s critical to get up and move around at least once an hour during your workday. This helps give your brain a break, and your legs and back can get a good stretch in, bringing fresh nutrients and oxygen to your extremities. And remember that standing too much puts undue pressure and strain on your legs, feet, and circulatory system. It’s essential to find the right balance between sitting and standing to prevent back pain while working from home. 

Get Adjusted at Impact Medical Lutz

At Impact Medical, we’re here to help you achieve better health and wellness. Whether you want to relieve your body of new aches or keep your back healthy while working from home, we have the treatments to keep your spine in proper alignment. We strive to help improve the overall health of every patient. Give us a call at (813)-536-0373 to make an appointment today!