As the COVID-19 era presses on, some are returning back to work in a socially distanced work environment and mask requirements. But many workplaces and businesses are choosing to allow their employees to work from home either for the foreseeable future or permanently. With more people working from home than ever, though, back pain and chiropractic issues are more prevalent than ever before. That’s why in today’s blog at Smith Wellnessin Las Cruces, our chiropractors talk about a few things that you can do at home to improve your chiropractic health while working in a new environment long-term. Keep reading to learn more and remember, Smith Wellness in Las Cruces is here to help however we can!
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Things to Avoid
While working from home, there are a few places and practices that we recommend avoiding altogether if possible. Things like working from your couch and bed may sound comfortable on paper, but in practice, they typically end up being wildly uncomfortable and can cause your neck and back pain in the very near future. Additionally, a kitchen table or countertop/barstool combo is better than a couch or bed, but are still not ideal long-term locations. Oftentimes these locations aren’t set up for proper ergonomics and are designed for you to enjoy a meal instead of working a full eight-hour day.
It’s also worth noting that if your job requires you to spend large amounts of time on the telephone, a hands-free device like a headset can be an excellent option. A headset will essentially eliminate the strain of holding a phone up to your ear for long periods of time or holding the phone between your shoulder and your head.
Things to Try
We’ve covered the things you should avoid while working from home to protect your chiropractic health, but what should you try to make your work-from-home experience more enjoyable? Perhaps the most beneficial thing for you to do would be to set up an ergonomic, chiropractor-approved workstation. But what does that look like? Ideally, your workstation should have:
- A spacious desk that allows your forearms to be parallel
- A comfortable chair with back support
- Monitors and screens at eye level
- Feet planted flat on the ground
- Monitors roughly arms-length away
It’s also very important to do your best to get up and move about every hour. Taking a minute or two to move around regularly can greatly improve your work-from-home experience and reduce your trips to the chiropractor.
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