Is Your Office Job a Pain in the Neck?
For most people, it’s hard to get through a day without spending the majority of their time in front of a screen. From TVs to smartphones to tablets, daily screen time has continued to soar over the last few years. And, for those who also have to spend their workdays in front of a computer, the amount of time is even higher.
Spending so much time in front of any screen can be bad for the body, but sitting in a stationary position in front of a computer all day can take an especially hard toll and result in neck pain and discomfort for many people. Keep reading for some advice from our experts on how to prevent neck pain.
3 Ways to Prevent and Ease Neck Pain at Work
If you have an office job that forces you to spend the majority of your time sitting at a desk, staring at a computer and have suffered from neck pain as a result, check out three ways our experts recommend to help ease and prevent neck pain at work.
- Position your monitor correctly. One of the worst things you can do when it comes to setting up your desk is to have a monitor that sits too low or at an angle. Monitors that are too low force you to angle your head downward and increase stress on your neck. Additionally, monitors that are placed off-center force you to keep a slight turn in your neck and can result in uncomfortable neck strain and stiffness. The ideal placement of monitor(s) vary from person to person, but it’s best to have your screens at eye level sitting directly in front of you.
- Remember to move and stretch. If you have a job that requires you to maintain a stationary, seated position it can put a lot of strain of your body and cause your posture to suffer the longer you sit. If you have neck pain or want to avoid developing it, it’s important to remember to take breaks from sitting for long periods of time. During these periodic breaks, try to get up up and walk around and take the time to stretch and move your neck muscles. You probably already have too much to remember during the workday, so simply set daily alarms ahead of time to keep yourself accountable for these breaks.
- Consider a standing desk or converter. If you suffer from chronic neck pain issues from logging long hours in the office, sometimes an employer will purchase a standing desk. If a standup desk is not an option for you, there are cost-efficient alternatives that easily allow your to convert your desktop into a standing option when needed.
Is Your Neck Pain Something More?
If your neck pain has become chronic – lasted for three months or more – and you haven’t been able to find relief from taking the actions above or trying at-home pain relief tactics, there may be an underlying reason for your pain. Try our free pain assessment tool by clicking the button below to see if you could be suffering from a spine condition or could benefit from treatment at Champey Pain & Spine Group.
How Champey Pain & Spine Can Help
A Champey Pain & Spine Group, we make it our top priority to help our patients live a pain-free life. If you have questions about neck pain relief and would like to speak to one of our spine specialists, please contact us today by clicking the button below.
