Overcoming Neck and Back Pain During Stay-At-Home Order in Alexandria

With the past two months working from home, you may notice that you are now developing some new aches and pains. For some of us, working from home may just be rolling out of bed and heading straight to our desk and computer. So how are we getting neck and back pain when we hardly even perform anything that would be considered physically strenuous?

Unfortunately, it is due to our lack of mobility and poor ergonomics at home that are contributing to our aches and pains. Normally we would walk from the parking lot or bus stop to our workplace or go out for walks during our lunch breaks which helps break our sedentary lifestyle. In addition to our lack of movement, our work stations at the office may also be better equipped than the dinner table or couch we have at home when we are working 8 to 10 hours from our laptops. Constantly hunching over the keyboard and screen of the laptop promotes poor posture which can then lead to neck and upper back pains.

Avoiding Aches & Pains While Social Distancing in Alexandria VA

So how do we avoid these issues while still getting our work done from home?  One of the best things to do is to have a timer set for every hour to remind us to get up and stretch to help break the poor posture we are in. Stretches for the chest, shoulders, and neck will help reduce tension in our muscles when we are working in a prolonged position for an extended period of time. Taking a walk around the neighborhood will help incorporate some exercise and reduce any anxiety or restlessness that is associated with social distancing and staying at home. Walking also helps promote mobility in our muscles and joints as well as provide benefits to our cardiovascular health. Other things to consider is having better ergonomics at home like using an external keyboard and mouse when working on your laptop. By having a separate mouse and keyboard, you can raise your laptop to eye level and still be able to keep your external mouse and keyboard at arm level with your elbows bent at 90 degrees.

If your neck and back pain starts to affect your ability to perform day to day activities, consult with your doctor in Alexandria for more help and guidance.