For a growing number of office workers, stabbing or pulling pain in the back is a recurring companion. If this pain is affecting your ability to work, it’s time to take action. Even seemingly minor changes can go a long way towards alleviating the discomfort. The tips in the following guide show how to work in the office in a way that is easier on the back in the future.
Keeping an eye on ergonomics
If more pain occurs in the back, neck and shoulders during the working day in the office, the cause is often due to an unhealthy posture. If the head has to constantly look up or down in order to look at the monitor, sitting alone is not the only cause of the discomfort. For ideal posture, the monitor should be at direct eye level. Neither the neck nor the spine are overstretched in this way and consequently react with pain as a warning signal.
Following the rules of ergonomics, it is therefore helpful to take a closer look at the workplace. If the center of the monitors is clearly below or above the eyes, there is a need for action. The first step here is to look at the seating in the office. If these chairs and armchairs are adjustable in height, it is helpful to use this function to set the appropriate seat height.
Desks can bring more movement into the workday
If back complaints do not subside after designing an ergonomic workstation, the search for possible causes has not yet been fruitless. If the majority of the workday consists of activities that are performed while sitting, the lack of movement also contributes to the pain. If the muscles become more and more cramped throughout the day, the first solution is to increase flexibility in the movement process.
In order to maintain this flexibility, a standing desk is an alternative to regular desks. The table surface of these desks is significantly higher than that of regular desk furniture. Computer work as well as other activities can also be done in the future while standing with a standing desk. If the desk height is electrically adjustable, it also only takes a few seconds to assume a sitting position as usual.
Massages prevent tight muscles
If the employer is not willing to make changes to the office setup, there are other ways to get back discomfort under control. The first way leads to the selection of massage products. Useful for relieving tension in the workplace include massage guns. Currently, these products often also have a heat function. In the combination of heat and massage, the tension is released and the pain does not carry over to the end of the day.
The use of acupressure mats is also helpful. The mats can be connected to the backrest of the office chair, for example. A massage takes place through the small nubs, which can also help to stop the muscles suffering from the workday while sitting.
Sport in the office loosens the musculoskeletal system
Fitness trainers have also realized that numerous of their clients show up for training with acute back pain due to working in the office. For this reason, training units and exercises have been developed whose implementation no longer depends on a gym. Short exercises at the desk or in the office can be easily incorporated into the daily work routine. Videos are now available for office workouts. With this visual assistance, the exercises can be successfully implemented without overstretching the muscles or causing other injuries. Even less than ten minutes during the workday helps to strengthen the back muscles.
