4 Tips to Prevent Neck and Back Pain at Work

1. Maintain Good Posture

Ensure that both feet are flat on the floor. If this is not possible due to chair height then a small footstool should be used.

Avoid crossing your legs.
Adjust the chair height to ensure your thighs are angled slightly downwards and keep your back flush against the chair. This will help to prevent forward rounding of the back, keeping the head in a neutral position i.e. ears over shoulders.

Position the keyboard so that the forearms can rest comfortable while typing with the elbows roughly at 90 degrees.
Ensure that the desk/chair height allows you to rest the forearms on the desk without any slumping of the shoulders.
Phones and tablets promote poor posture and should therefore be avoided in work. If writing emails, for example, use your desktop computer where possible.
It is also important to note that laptops are not suitable for extended periods of work. If you do work with a laptop, it is advisable to invest in a docking station/separate keyboard and mouse.

Tips 1 and 2 are very important, however, an important point to make is this: even IF we maintain “perfect” posture and setup our workstation correctly, if we sit all day everyday, we are likely to develop neck/back issues.

Arguably the most important step you could take to avoid neck and back pain in the workplace would be to regularly change your position.
It is recommended that part of our day is spent standing. A standing desk is ideal, however if this is not within your budget there are very affordable desk converters that can be used to easily switch between sitting and standing throughout the day.
If you are confined to sitting, I would recommend getting up from your chair once every 20-30 minutes. I go so far as to recommend people set an alarm on their phone to remind them to do so. It will be difficult at first but soon this will become second nature and you will begin to feel the benefits. The point here is to get up regularly throughout the day to avoid pain discomfort from developing. We do not want to wait until we have a pain to stand up.

Adults are recommended to complete a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 days a week to maintain good health.

Any exercise will be beneficial, however people who sit for work may wish to consider exercise that will counteract their sitting. If you sit for 30+ hours a week in work and spend 5-10 hours per week commuting to work, you may wish to consider whether cycling is the best choice for you.
Generally speaking a varied exercise programme is recommended which incorporates cardio, strengthening and flexibility training.If you’re like many people, you probably spend much of your day sitting at a desk. This sedentary behavior puts you at increased risk for spending prolonged time in poor posture, potentially causing pain and discomfort.

If you suffer from neck or back pain and would like more information, please call us on (01) 825 2623 or email us at info@cloneephysio.ie