Santa doesn’t just sit at a desk for work! He’s out exploring
the world, in and out of a sleigh, arranging
the assistance of others (elves and reindeer!) to do some
of the hard, back-wrecking work. However, he also works from his
home/workshop which certainly brings him similar stresses and pain like it does for the
rest of us who recently realized the dream of working from
home. However, we can learn from his example. He doesn’t just lounge
at a desk. He gets help for challenging chores. He moves!
The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR urges all of our Colorado Springs
work-from-home friends to do the same as well as arrange
alleviating chiropractic treatment
for the back pain, neck pain, shoulder, and other pain(s) you may now have.
THE DREAM: WORK FROM HOME, LEARN AT HOME
Working from home. It was the dream job for many
of us…until the dream came true. There are some stunning
statistics on how work-from-home has altered so many
of us. One study of 232 telecom employees documented that
39% had more pain in the low back, 48% in the upper back/neck, and 27% in their
hands. Only 33% reported not having any such
musculoskeletal pain problems. (Women related that they had more issues than men.) 30% worked in a separate room
at home, 32% worked in a separate section of a room with
other members of the home, 38% worked in a non-separate area like
the dining room. 41% did not use an office
chair; 32% used an ergonomic chair. 71% were distracted
by constant or random disruptions.
52% worked longer hours. Only 30% took frequent
breaks. (1) Students experienced much the same as did workers when their learning and teaching was undertaken
at home: low back pain for 73%, neck pain for 69%, shoulder pain for 59%. Influencing
factors for students were pain, academic stresses, personal/emotional issues,
work environment, and time in front of the computer. (2) For the
work-from-home dream to come true with as little pain as possible
requires some preparation. Your Colorado Springs chiropractor is
up to the task to help you prep.
WORKING FROM HOME: THE SET UP
Any new venture necessitates a plan. Starting
without the plan backfires for many. 89% of
new-to-working-at-home workers who participated in a survey stated some musculoskeletal pain.
Upper back pain was said to be a result of
nonergonomic work environments with non-favorable computer
configurations while nonergonomic postures were associated with headache and low back pain. (3) A study of university
employees found that 61% of them experienced
more musculoskeletal pain working from home with neck, shoulder and low back
pain being the most often experienced. Women reported
significantly more pain than men. Seat height and monitor distance were significant risk factors
for discomfort and pain in work-from-home employees. (4)
HOPE FOR NEW WORK-FROM-HOME PAIN
There is hope! Regardless of the new
work-from-home trend that resulted in more sedentary
lifestyles, decreased physical activity, and more
musculoskeletal pain like back pain, researchers mentioned
that exercise and less sitting around successfully reduced
low back pain and even ‘cured’ it for participants in their study. (5)
The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR presents some simple, gentle exercises for our
Colorado Springs chiropractic patients. Begin them after we perform a thorough exam and you start noticing
relief with our gentle chiropractic spinal manipulation care.
CONTACT The Chiropractic TRUhealthDR
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. John Murray on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares
relieving chiropractic care for back and neck pain patients with The Cox®
Technic System of Spinal Pain Management on The Cox®8 Table.
Schedule your Colorado Springs chiropractic
appointment today. Be like Santa: move, get help with
the heavy lifting, alter your workspace! Happy Holidays!