A large portion of the workforce conducts some work from the comfort of their home, and remote work became even more popular as we worked to navigate the pandemic. Working from home may be enjoyable because you can avoid the commute to and from the office, but remote work can take a toll on your spine if you’re not careful. In today’s blog, we share some tips for preventing neck and back pain if you work from home on a regular basis.
Back Pain When Working From Home
There are a number of reasons why working from home can be hard on your spine. We’re going to highlight some of the potential causes of back pain, and share some tips for avoiding these pitfalls.
- Poor Seated Positioning – You probably have a comfortable and supportive work chair at the office, but the same may not be true at home. Even if you have a supportive office chair at home, you may find yourself working from the couch, the back patio or even from your bed, and these places can be less supportive for your spine, meaning structures like your neck and lower back are handling more stress. Over time, this can lead to disc degeneration, muscle weakness or nerve pain. Make sure you invest in a chair that supports your neck and your spine, and that you mind your seated posture when working from home.
- Limited Activity – You might not be the most active at the office, but at least you’re forced to move a bit to get to the office and get back home. If you work from home regularly, you may end up being much less active, especially if you would hit the gym on your way home from work. Strive to earmark some of the time you save on your daily commute for exercise and activity, because this will help to make your spine stronger and better able to handle the static stress you’re putting it through when you’re working from home.
- Healthy Eating Habits – It’s easier to snack or eat larger meals if you’re working from home and have easy access to the pantry or those leftovers in the fridge. Coupled with less activity, a poor diet is a recipe for weight gain. If you weigh more, your spine will have to help disperse more stress, which can serve to break down structures faster. Being overweight or obese has been associated with faster spinal disc degeneration, so mind your eating habits at home to help maintain an ideal weight.
- Incorporate Movement During Work Tasks – Finally, even if you’re in a supportive chair, your back doesn’t like to remain in the same position for an extended period, so find ways to break up long seated periods with movement. Take that phone call standing up, or walk around the room while you’re listening to that conference call. If there’s any work tasks you can accomplish while standing or walking, try to do them on your feet to give your spine a break.
If you practice these healthy habits and reach out to a specialist like Dr. Jackman if you start to experience neck or back pain for any reason, we’re confident that you’ll be able to effectively prevent and treat common spinal issues. For more information, reach out to Dr. Jackman and the team at the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
