Back Pain Therapy for Telecommuters
Back Pain Therapy for Telecommuters
If there is one ailment that almost everyone can identify with, it’s back pain. At each of the Twin Boro New Jersey locations, back pain therapy is one of the most common treatment requests – and it’s no wonder. According to a study in the journal Neurologic Clinics, up to 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives.
Back pain is a debilitating condition that can affect the individual’s mental wellbeing as well as their ability to perform simple day-to-day tasks.
Working from Home Can Be a Pain in the Back
Interestingly, our team of physical therapists have noticed a surge in patients dealing with neck and back pain during the COVID-19 shutdown. Many telecommuters are scheduling appointments for back pain therapy, either via in-person at one of our 27 NJ locations or telehealth virtual appointments.
The likely culprit? Working remotely.
As convenient as it may be to roll out of bed in your pajamas, grab coffee and hit the laptop, many are falling into bad habits. Whether you’re using your couch as a chair or your kitchen counter with a stack of books as a makeshift desk, telecommuting is taking a toll on our neck, shoulders, and back.
Poor ergonomics aside, working from home can present another problem that can amplify back pain: a sedentary lifestyle. While you used to walk from the parking lot to your office building or make trips to the washroom and in-person meetings, we’re taking fewer steps and clicking from zoom meeting to zoom meeting.
Let’s take a look at a few ways to prevent and treat back pain while working from home.
Prevent and Treat Lumbar Back Pain
The average adult sits nine hours a day. Prolonged sitting and sedentary behaviors are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, mental health issues, and also low back pain.
If you’re sitting too long and even not exercising regularly, the hamstrings get pulled and tight which places an abnormal amount of strain on your lumbar spine. Combine that with a weaker core from lack of exercise one has a combination for developing lumbar back pain.
Research shows that adding short bouts of standing during your work day can help. Also, make sure your lower back is supported while you work and take short breaks to stretch your hamstring and hip muscles.
Prevent and Treat Cervical Back Pain
Even if you begin your day with perfect posture, it may not take long before your body settles into a slouch that can lead to cervical back pain. Working long hours with a sub-optimal desk set up can lead to muscle tension and fatigue in the trapezius (muscles around the neck and shoulder area).
Did you know that the human head typically weighs approximately 10 pounds? But if it is tilted downward at about 45 degrees, the weight on the cervical spine increases dramatically, placing excess strain on the neck.
Take a stand against sitting: adjust your monitor and keyboard so they are at optimal heights, wear supportive footwear.
Get Back Pain Therapy – Even During the Pandemic
If you are still having difficulty with movement or completing day-to-day tasks due to back pain, you may benefit from working with a physical therapist. The Twin Boro offices are seeing patients in each of our 27 NJ locations, as well as via telehealth.
Visit one of our physical therapy clinics in NJ to learn more about how physical therapy can help you. With 51 locations throughout New Jersey, we make it easy to find convenient, effective physical therapy options. Simply search for your closest location using your zip code. The team at Twin Boro Physical Therapy look forward to helping you get healthy and guiding you down the road to recovery.
