Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a large portion of the population has been able to try something new and revolutionary: working from home. The convenience of being able to keep your pajama bottoms on and not wasting half a day sitting in the car or commuting are strong benefits. However, one of the downsides for many people is that they just don’t have a home office set up that is conducive to their physical health and safety. Some people have had to turn their dining room table into a makeshift workstation or prop up their laptop on the sofa cushions. The result is a giant pain in the neck. Literally.
Whether you work from home or from an office that hasn’t yet invested in ergonomic tools, sitting for hours on end, clicking away at a keyboard, slouching, and looking up or down at a computer screen can take a heavy toll on your physical health. The number one indication that your home or workplace environment is not good for your health is pain. Pain signals that something is wrong, and makeshift home office workstations may be the source of your newfound pain.
Common injuries or painful conditions that are often associated with a poor-quality home office environment can include:
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Tingling in the hands or fingers
- Headaches
- Inflammation
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
There are some easy ways to combat the problem and make your home office or other workspaces more friendly to your body. Start by addressing some of the most basic safety issues that tend to plague home office setups. Then focus on the part of the body that is giving you the most trouble. Is it your neck or back? Try adjusting your chair, look for a more comfortable chair, or add support to the chair you currently use. Make it a point to sit up straight and take frequent movement breaks so that you aren’t stuck in one position too long. Having issues with your arms, wrists, or hands? Consider adjusting the angle of your armrests. Since the pandemic began, numerous publications have provided helpful tips for making your home office more efficient, functional, and, most importantly, comfortable.
Now that your home office setup won’t cause you any more problems let’s tackle the issue of your current pain. You don’t need to turn to expensive or addictive drugs to combat your neck or back pain. Chiropractic care and massage therapy, used either separately or in conjunction with one another, are tremendously effective ways of treating painful conditions that arise from less-than-ideal workplace settings.
Chiropractic techniques can help align your vertebrate, reduce stiffness and pressure, and give you back your normal range of motion and mobility. This holistic pain management technique can enhance the body’s own ability to heal itself. Massage can also help the body unlock its natural ability to heal and promotes relaxation. Massage can also help reduce inflammation and tension, while various techniques may be used to target specific strained muscles, joint pain, and even nerve pain.
Don’t let working from home be a pain in the neck any longer. Talk to one of our Jersey City practitioners at AllCare Health & Pain about your concerns. Let us come up with a targeted pain management plan that works for you. At AllCare Health & Pain, we are dedicated to improving the lives of our patients through quality holistic care and pain management techniques.
Ready to improve your home and work life? Call us today at 201-386-8800.