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Back and Neck Pain in Computer Users and What to do About it
Computers are Taking Over the World and it’s not Good for Your Back
The number of people working with computers on a daily basis has increased tenfold in recent years. Over four billion people worldwide spend the majority of a working day in front of a computer — that’s more than half the population of the world. In the United States, the average time a person spends looking at a screen of some sort was almost 7.5 hours per day.
So the chances are, if you are reading this, you can relate to these statistics and whether you spend a couple of hours on your phone or the whole day in front of a computer you should consider the strain on your neck and spine carefully. Computers are great and are the epitome of how far mankind has come but that doesn’t mean they do not bring various health concerns!
Working full-time in an office or at a computer can seriously impact your posture. But worry not! There are various ways to improve this.
Basic Beneficial Changes
Of course, this is an area where you are going to read a lot of contrasting ideas on what is beneficial and what is less beneficial to your back. Here we will include some indisputable pointers.
Fixing Your Sitting Posture to Fix Your Back
Sitting for many hours with your gaze fixated at one point is going to be tiring on the body but it will be a lot kinder to your back and neck if it is a more comfortable and natural posture. Craning your neck for much of the day is bad, you need to keep your body straight with your feet firmly on the floor. In fact, try keeping your feet flat and shoulder distance apart so that your knees form a right angle, you will be surprised how this forces you to maintain a good posture.
You should also try to keep your head and neck in line with your shoulders and not hunched or leaning towards the screen. Imagine balancing a plate on your head and you will realise how much strain you place on your neck. This can be helped by having a monitor that is at eye level so you don’t have to constantly be gazing at a downwards angle and thereby forcing a bend in your neck. It is usually advised that the monitor is a few inches above eye level so all that staring down at laptops is far from recommendable!
The Right Chair and The Right Desk
It is not possible to keep up the aforementioned posture without the right working space. The mouse and keyboard need to be within reach so that your forearms can rest on either the chair arms or a spacious desk. Of equal importance is a chair that supports your back. If you are sitting on a chair which does not have a lower backrest place a cushion, a rolled up towel or something similar behind your back to improve your posture and comfort.
Movement and Breathing Back Pain
Giving yourself breaks and thinking about your breathing are much more beneficial than you would imagine. It is of utmost importance to regularly stand up from your desk, once an hour at a very minimum. Take a walk, grab some water, stretch your legs. Your should not forget to allow your body some movement and relief from the strict routine of a regular stiff posture.
Inhaling and exhaling also improve your physical well being more than you would know. If you are feeling some pain or ache in your neck and back and have started to slouch, pull yourself up, take in a deep breath that draws your belly button towards your spine. Deep breathing relieves the pain in your back, releasing tension and engaging the core muscles of your upper body.
Back and Neck Exercises for Office Workers
- Shrug Your Shoulders: Pull your shoulders up to your ears and inhale, hold them there for several seconds and then release them whilst exhaling and drop them back into place. Repeat this 5 times, several times a day
- Touch The Floor: Let your back go lifeless and hang your body over touching the floor or letting your hands dangle towards the floor. This releases all of the tension in your body and gives your muscles a break, it’s a key yoga exercise and is great for your body!
- The Invisible Chair: Move your chair back and stand up and sit down as if there is an invisible chair. This forces the muscles in your back and knees to wake up and relieves the tension that has built up. Do this 10 times, in 3 sets per day.
- The Self Hug: Place your left hand over your right shoulder and your right hand over your left shoulder. Breath deeply, releasing the grip on yourself as you exhale and stretching your arms around your back as you inhale.
- Look To The Sky: Link your hands together behind your back and push the palms downwards whilst pushing your chest outwards and lifting your chin towards the sky. Hold this pose for 20-30 seconds.
If you would like extra tips and advice on your back pain check out our free book or, alternatively, if think you may have a serious back injury or simply wish to take a more serious approach to your back pain call Permar Physical Therapy directly on (928) 589-1172 or email at [email protected].