Preventing Back Pain While Working From Home

The world is fighting a deadly disease. Most of the countries are under lockdown, and companies and businesses have asked employees to work from home for the safety of the public. If your organisation has asked you to work from home, you should stay at home and support those who are working day and night to keep the city safe.

However, working from home tends to put you in a lazy mood and you may tend to slouch when typing on your laptop or phones. And you could harm your back with these habits; it could lead to bad posture, back pain, neck pain, and other problems. So, here are some tips to avoid back pain and keep your core strong.

Practice Good Posture

If you have a proper work station at home, with a desk and a chair, place your feet flat on the floor, and rest you back against the chair - straight. Do not round your lower back, adjust the height of your chair to avoid it.

Use Low Back Support

Use a small pillow, or roll up a towel, t-shirt or a part of a blanket as support. Place this support horizontally between the chair and the gap created by the curve of your lower back. This will help you sit up straighter and provide the appropriate support, and will also help you improve your posture.

Take Breaks and Move

Sitting in the same position for too long can lead to back, neck and shoulder pain. Get up and move around the house every few hours. Not only will it help you avoid back problems, but it’ll also freshen you up. I suggest, set up alarms on your phone to remind you to take a walk.

Take multiple short breaks frequently, instead of taking a few long ones. Taking breaks gives the muscles a chance to relax, and it prevents your back from getting stiff and tense. Make sure you take a break from the screen too. Do not switch between your computer and mobile screen while taking breaks. Avoid looking at your phone, look out the window instead, give your eyes rest too.

Have an Appropriate Desk Setup

Place your computer directly in front of you. It shouldn't be placed too high or too low, because either way, it’ll stress your neck. The computer screen should be at an arm’s length. Keep the keyboard at a comfortable distance.

Exercise

Exercise can help relieve back pain, and strengthen the lower back. It can also enable the blood flow to the lower back region, which may reduce the stiffness. Make sure you don’t do any heavy workout or heavy lifting if you suffer from back pain. You can perform simple exercises like knee rolls, bridges, knee-to-chest stretches, pelvic tilts, etc. You can easily find videos on how to perform these exercises, online. Three sets of sooryanamaskar will go a long way to prevent back and neck pain. Now, if your back pain is associated with shooting pain or weakness of the leg, I suggest you consult your orthopedic and spine surgeon immediately.

Follow these tips and you can avoid chronic or acute back pain and spine-related problems in the long run.

Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. They do not reflect the opinions or views of the organization.