Commuting to an office building to be surrounded by co-workers used to be the norm. Nowadays, working from a home office is a typical way to spend business hours. Working from home is steadily becoming the new norm. Some people have even turned their living rooms, bedrooms, or kitchen tables into home offices. Unfortunately, people who work from home are experiencing newfound back pain.
Various factors can cause back pain, so its origin is not always obvious. At NJ Spine and Orthopedic, our doctors are skilled at identifying causes of pain and can advise you on the best course of treatment. Your home is more comfortable than the office, but you are still susceptible to office work habits that are harmful to your back health. If you have started to experience back pain, here’s how to know if remote work is the cause.
Your Muscles Ache after Sitting Still during the Work Day
Working from home requires us to be at our desks for hours at a time. Sitting still without taking breaks or changing position every so often can be bad for your back. Holding a stiff position while working can add pressure to your back muscles. Because of this, even people working at standing desks can experience lower back pain. If you notice that your muscles are aching at the end of the workday, incorporate more breaks during working hours. Take time to readjust the position of your body, stretch your muscles, and walk around to prevent further damage.
You Hunch Your Shoulders While at Your Workspace
As long as they have WIFI and portable technology, people can work from anywhere. Rather than work at a standard desk with an office chair, some people have opted to work from their coffee table, kitchen table, or even their bed. If you’ve made a makeshift desk out of the furniture around your house, then you’re likely working while hunched over your laptop.
Hunching forward to look down at your screen can strain your back. Even with a proper desk, you can find yourself slouching with your shoulders hunched forward if you ignore your posture. Slumping or sliding forward in the seat of your office chair will compromise your posture and your back health. Keep your screen at a reasonable height and work while maintaining good posture to avoid strain and injury.
Your Work Chair Doesn’t Support Your Back
Not everyone is prepared to work from home full time. In the transition to remote work, you may have turned to whatever you had available to create your work from home set-up. Instead of an office chair, maybe you chose to sit on a stool at your breakfast bar or thought the couch would be a cozy place to handle business. While these choices feel fine for a moment, sitting in a chair that doesn’t provide proper back support can be harmful after working for hours on end.
The Spine Specialists at NJ Spine Can Diagnose Your Back Pain
As technology advances and remote work becomes commonplace, back pain caused by working from home may become more common, too. You could change your desk chair, move around more, and correct your posture to see if the pain goes away. However, your back pain could result from something other than working from home. The specialists at NJ Spine and Orthopedic can expertly diagnose and treat whatever issue is affecting your back.
NJ Spine is staffed with board-certified physicians and medical experts skilled at performing laser spine surgery. This minimally invasive procedure has shorter recovery times than traditional spine surgery. Get the best care possible by contacting skilled spine doctors who are members of organizations like the American College of Physicians and the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. To schedule an appointment with one of our experts, call (866) 272-9271 or fill out our online contact form.