Why office workers struggle with back and neck pain
Medical experts have found that spending a lot of time sitting down can increase the risk of a variety of medical problems - but did you know it can also be causing you pain? Best Form Sports Therapy explains why office worker pain is so common and how it can affect you.
Office worker pain in particular is a huge risk. Do you find that your back hurts hours into your work, or even while you sleep? If you spend a lot of time in a seated position your muscles can tighten significantly, and can even begin to shorten! This puts strain on other areas of your body as there is no longer room for your skeleton to comfortably move. Tight muscles can not only cause you pain but can also restrict your range of movement and can even create issues with your posture.
Can posture changes create office worker pain?
The short answer is yes. Your spine and muscles are designed to be active. When seated in the same position for extended periods of time at some point you will lose focus on your posture and begin to slouch or slump. This can then continue into your commute home, and even when you sit on the sofa. Slouching causes significant strain on some of your back muscles; making them continually stretch more than they are designed to, and in turn shortens and weakens the muscles in your chest and shoulders. Weakened muscles mean they will be unable to support your body as needed, causing further strain on your back and considerable pain for you. This unnatural straining also compresses the muscles in your neck which can cause neck pain and even migraines. In these cases, it can be very difficult to relieve this pain without the help of sports massage and other treatments.
Am I at risk of back and neck pain if I work from home?
Due to a higher likelihood of working on a laptop from a sofa or kitchen chair - as a remote worker you are at an even higher risk of developing back and neck pain. In fact, The office of national statistics released a report identifying a significant rise in the number of people of all ages being unfit for work due to back and neck issues across the pandemic. With almost all office workers in the UK turning to remote working during this time; general movement and recognising posture markedly dropped for many. This can have left you leaving the pandemic with new aches, pains and restrictions in movement that you didn’t have before. As a remote worker you could even have developed injuries, with frozen shoulders being common. At Best Form Sports Therapy, we have the knowledge and experience to treat a variety of injuries or pains, and offer exercises and advice to get you back to feeling your best.
Does stress impact office worker pain?
If you have a particularly demanding job with strict deadlines and heavy workloads, stress can definitely negatively affect you physically and cause you pain. A poll of 1,500 employed adults, who work in an office, revealed that 90% have experienced stress in their job – and 82% believe this stress is contributing to the physical discomfort they suffer. Regularly tense muscles in your neck and shoulders caused by stress can again cause postural changes and strain on muscles. Tense neck and shoulders is also a common cause of regular headaches and migraines, and a simple relief is to have regular massages to ease the strain on your body.
Have you found that as a remote worker or an in office worker you have developed new or increased back and neck pain? Get in touch with Best Form Sports Therapy today to discuss how we can help you!
We work with you to create a personalised strategy that is both effective and convenient for you to reduce pain, and the likelihood of recurrence. Honesty and Clarity are at the forefront of our work; creating a comfortable environment for easy communication between us and you to make sure you are receiving the best treatment for you.
We travel directly to you across the Hampshire area including Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Camberley, Frimley. Other locations can be accommodated for an additional fee.