Problems You Have from Sitting for a Living

Working at a desk for eight hours or more each day can bring pain to your body. Some say this type of discomfort comes with the job, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some of the most common problems that arise from sitting all day at a desk, plus some tips to help you heal.

Lower back pain

Of all the sitting-related body pains, lower back problems in Napa County, CA take the cake. They come about from sitting at a desk, typing at a computer for hours on end, without stopping for breaks to stand, walk around or stretch. Back pain can be a little twinge here and there or a persistent ache. Either way, lower back pain can keep you from doing your best work.

Here’s what’s happening—when you slump back in your desk chair or slouch forward, you’re throwing your spine out of alignment. Strain is put on the ligaments and muscles in your back.

To relieve impending tension in your lower back, while seated, rock your pelvis back and forth, tilt your hips up and around, then tilt your hips back. This move helps to loosen up the back muscles. For a more long-term fix, invest in additional back support. Use a lumbar pillow to cushion your back and to prevent poor posture.

Shoulder and neck pain

You use your neck and shoulders all the time at the office. In this setting, these pains likely come from improper keyboard or computer monitor placement. If they are too far away, you end up craning your neck and shoulders forward to reach and see. The neck and shoulders get thrown out of alignment with the spine, which strains the soft tissues and muscles.

Many people reach for over-the-counter pain medications to alleviate neck and shoulder pain. The better thing to do is practice gentle stretching throughout the day. In the long run, your best chance at combating neck and shoulder pain is to set up your computer and keyboard in the right position on your desk. Also, consider using a headset when talking on the phone instead of cradling your cell between your ear and shoulder.

Wrist strain

Typing away for hours on end can lead to serious physical health issues, yet you might not notice wrist issues until an injury occurs. At first, you may feel pins and needles in your wrists, which over time can become a constant achy annoyance. This type of pain is usually caused by a combination of overuse and the way you position your wrists at your keyboard. The repetitive motion of typing causes fatigue and inflammation of the tendons. Poor sitting posture also plays a role in wrist pain.

Besides the obvious—giving your wrists breaks and stretching from time to time—practice using your keyboard the ideal way. Let your wrists fall naturally so they float horizontally in the air and are not resting on your keyboard.

Focus Forward Wellness & Physical Therapy can provide physical therapy for lower back pain in Napa County, CA. Schedule an appointment today!

Categorised in: Back Pain

This post was written by Writer