by Katherine Clark, D.C., Palmer Chiropractic Clinics
Love it or hate it, many people now work and learn from home. While perks include not having to commute and the ability to wear your favorite comfy pants all day, a major downside is back/neck pain. If your workspace consists of your laptop and your favorite recliner, it is probably time for a workspace makeover for your spine’s sake.
Here are some things you can consider for a healthy workspace to minimize back and neck pain:
- Your back likes change. Don’t sit in the same position for more than 30 minutes. Mix up your seating options. Use an exercise ball, add a cushion, or take one away. Change the angle of the back of the chair or roll up towel for lumbar support. You can also freeze or heat a water bottle and wrap it in a shirt for a heated/iced lumbar support.
- Make a standing desk. I turned my fireplace mantle into a standing work area to break up all the sitting.
- Be sure your monitor is at eye level, so you’re not hunching to see the screen.
- Don’t slouch. Your shoulders should be relaxed and back, not rolled forward to reach the keyboard.
- Wrists should be neutral and comfortable. Extending or kinking the wrist can cause carpal-tunnel symptoms.
- Movement is key. Pop in some earbuds for a mobile desk! Take walks, do some air squats, or stretch while you’re on a Zoom meeting. Talk to your chiropractor about stretches you can do at your desk.
- Consider getting a chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractors focus their care on the alignment and balance of the bones, muscles and the tissues that connect them. Chiropractic adjustments are intended to help maintain proper alignment of the spine to improve posture and to alleviate added stress on the muscles.
Katherine Clark, D.C. is a family practice clinician in the Palmer Clinics. She enjoys seeing patients ages 0-100+.
Palmer Chiropractic Clinics delivers more than 75,000 patient visits in the Quad Cities every year. Learn more at www.palmer.edu/clinics.
