Back and Neck Discomfort Can Happen To Anyone

About Back and Neck Pain

Back and neck pain is something that can affect a large percentage of adults. Some documents say that up to 70% of adults will experience back pain symptoms at some time in their lives.

What Causes Back and Neck Pain?

While back pain can be caused by a myriad of activities such as lifting heavy objects with poor lifting techniques, being involved in an accident, various falls and following some sports another possible source or back and neck pain can be the way your workstation is set up.

Many of us sit at a computer terminal all day completing work tasks and if your work area is not set up correctly and you are not taking small breaks and doing exercises at your desk chances are you are placing strains on various parts of back and neck. Strains can cause pain, reduce your ability to concentrate and reduce your productivity at work.

Having chairs without arm rests, seats with backs that do not adjust forward or backward and seat platforms that do not angle up or down, keyboards sitting on desks or monitors that are not at eye level can cause strains in different body parts that end up with us feeling achy and sore at the end of a work day.

How to Prevent Back and Neck Pain

Some simple changes such as buying a stool to put under your feet while seated can take strain off your hips and back, sitting with a lumbar support or small pillow in the small of your back can reduce discomfort or sometimes raising or lowing your monitor height can reduce back and neck strain.

Another easy strategy to use at work is simple to change your position from sitting to standing. Pushing away from your desk, standing up and doing a simple exercise like pulling your belly button to your spine (this would be the starting position for an exercise called abdominal hollowing) once every hour can reduce back pain symptoms and increase productivity at work.

What Does Optimal Rehab Recommend?

We also recommend some exercises you can do right at your work station without standing up. Simply take twenty to thirty seconds every hour to push back from your desk, put your hands palm up on your thighs, squeeze your shoulders together and tuck you chin. Hold this position for 3 seconds then take a deep breath before relaxing. Repeat these steps three to five times every hour. This exercise helps reset muscles that get tired while sitting at work and can reduce the discomfort lots of us experience in our necks and backs.