We go to work hoping that every day we spend in the office will challenge and succeed us professionally, but in reality, five or six hours at work can also have health consequences.
According to one statistic, work-related musculoskeletal problems—from muscle tension to carpal tunnel syndrome—account for 32 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses. Of course, many of these injuries are caused by people who work on production lines or perform other physical tasks. But sitting hunched over a computer all day, typing furiously, and staring at a screen can also take its toll on the body.
Overall, the culprit lies entirely in how long you sit at your desk. The real problem we face is that we are not designed to sit, certainly not for long periods of time. But when your office job requires you to sit at a desk for hours on end, you tend to have a hunched back, a bulging neck, and tired eyes. Stress travels throughout your body.
The good news is that making ergonomic adjustments to your work environment, in addition to a few simple stretches, can go a long way in reducing the discomfort that most desk managers face every day. And the benefits aren’t just physical. One study found that creating more ergonomic workstations in offices not only reduced musculoskeletal and vision problems but also improved employee job satisfaction and well-being.
Of course, any time you experience pain, you should consult your doctor about any potential problems or treatment issues. But with some tips and advice below, you can stay safe from the dangers of office work.
The No. 1 Danger of Desk Work: Lower Back Pain
Whether it’s an occasional twinge or constant pain, lower back pain can prevent you from performing your best. Sitting at a desk for hours on end can cause lower back pain, which is the most common work-related back problem.
So what’s really going on behind the scenes? Slumping backwards in your office chair or leaning forward means your spine is out of alignment. This puts stress on the ligaments and muscles in your back.
How to relieve tension quickly
To relieve sudden muscle tension, while sitting in your office chair, rock your pelvis back and forth, tilting your hips up, your back back, and then your hips back. “This will help relax your back muscles.
long term fix
Get some support. The length of the back should reach the back of the chair to help you sit upright. If there is a gap, using a lumbar pillow to cushion it will prevent you from leaning forward or backward, causing poor posture. At the same time, make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your thighs are parallel to the ground. “You want to avoid letting your feet hang off the chair,” Aguilar says. Otherwise, the weight of your legs isn’t supported, which puts more stress on your back. Using a footrest can also help eliminate discomfort.
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Sweating helps too. Abdominal exercises, such as various ab exercises, two to three times a week can strengthen your core. This takes pressure off your back and makes it easier to maintain good posture.
Hazards of Desk Work No. 2: Wrist Sprains
Typing away at your keyboard day and night to answer emails or write reports can take its toll and can become a serious health problem.
Overuse and the position of your wrists in front of the keyboard are the culprits. Whenever you operate a keyboard or mouse, the tendons in your wrist move back and forth. These tendons are parallel to each other, so they slide back and forth, creating friction, which is called microtrauma. Repetitive movements can cause fatigue and tendons may become inflamed.
Another less obvious factor that contributes to wrist pain: poor posture, especially forward shoulders. This is because sleeping position can reduce blood flow downstream, including to the hands, causing pain and, in some cases, tingling or numbness.
How to relieve tension quickly
Do a prayer stretch, also known as the Buddha stretch: Place your fingers and palms together, hands in front of your chest, fingers pointing upward. With your palms closed and elbows extended outward, lower your hands until you feel a nice stretch in your wrists. Hold for five seconds.
long term fix
When you’re using your keyboard or mouse, naturally lift your wrists so they float horizontally in the air—no higher than your hands resting lightly on the table. Also, prepare a wrist break for your keyboard and mouse, and take occasional breaks throughout the day.
Desk Job Dangers No. 3: Neck and Shoulder Pain
You don’t realize how much you move until your neck and shoulders hurt – and then you feel every move and twist. These pains may come from placing your keyboard or computer monitor too far away from your desk, causing your neck and shoulders to stick forward and out of alignment with your spine, causing muscle and soft tissue tension.
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How to relieve tension quickly
Taking a few ibuprofen tablets to relieve pain may be effective, but one study found that stretching your neck and shoulders frequently every day provided more effective pain relief than taking over-the-counter and prescription anti-inflammatories, or even seeing a chiropractor.
If you want to loosen a tight neck, you can do a chin-tuck exercise, which is to shrink your neck. While standing or sitting, keep your spine straight, push your head forward, and stick your chin out as far as possible. Slowly pull your head back. Your head should remain level throughout the stretch and you will feel reaching the base of your neck. Repeat up to four times.
To relieve tension in both your neck and shoulders, face forward, tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder, and let your left arm drop to increase the stretch. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, then repeat four times on the left side.
long term fix
Place the computer monitor directly in front of you and don’t tilt it to the side, which puts your neck in an awkward position. If you often talk on the phone, try to use headphones instead of holding the phone between your ear and shoulder, as this can cause muscle strain. Use a chair with adjustable armrests so that your elbows form a 90-degree angle. The arm rest and arm angle help relieve shoulder tension. Good posture is also a long-term solution.
Danger of Desk Work No. 4: Eye Strain
Staring at a computer for hours at a time can cause eye strain, as can if the computer monitor is too far away from you (reading small print can strain your eyes) or too close to you (making it harder for your eyes to focus) Eyestrain. People also blink less frequently when staring at a computer, which can lead to dry eyes and fatigue.
How to relieve tension quickly
Every 20 to 30 minutes, look at something far away, such as an office window, for 20 seconds to rest your eyes. Better yet, get up and chat with a coworker in another area of the office, or run to the office supply closet to grab a new pen, anything to give your eyes a break from the computer.
long term fix
Make sure your computer monitor is 50-100 centimeters away from you so it’s not too close or too far from where you sit. The top of your computer monitor should be roughly at eye level. You can also put a filter on your monitor to reduce glare, which can cause eye strain.
If you wear glasses at work, measure the distance between your eyes and your computer monitor. Then check with your optometrist to make sure you have the correct distance prescription. They are designed for reading or distance reading. But computers are in between these two distances. Buy a computer distance prescription and keep this pair in your office. “
Desk job danger No. 5: Tight hips
Over time, hunching over every day from your desk to the couch at home can shorten your hip flexors (a group of muscles located at the front of your hips), causing pain. Tight hip flexors can also cause lower back pain, another common symptom.
How to relieve tension quickly
Try stretching exercises to loosen tight hip flexors. Kneel on your left knee, as if you were proposing to someone, extend your right foot forward and bend your right knee to 90 degrees. Move your pelvis forward, bend your front knee, and tuck your hips in until you feel a deeper stretch in your left hip. Hold for 30 seconds. Change legs.
long term fix
Stand up regularly to give your muscles a break and increase circulation. In a perfect world, getting up from your desk every 20 to 30 minutes would require your body to move.