The secret office worker pain – is this you?
When you’re working in a 9-5 office role, it’s easy to think your body is getting a trouble-free ride. Sitting down all day with limited movement means no stress is being put on your body, right? Not quite.
Sitting in front of a computer day in, day out, means you’re probably slouching a lot more than you realise. Slumping over a screen or looking down at your laptop or phone is impacting on your posture. Great intentions can easily be forgotten when you’re lost in concentration on a project.
The main issue here is that the damage is being done over time without it being realised. You may be questioning: “You’ve just described me, but my back doesn’t hurt?” This is where the secret part of the problem is lurking. Just because the pain isn’t being felt currently, doesn’t mean your body isn’t suffering and gradually deteriorating.
Professor Steve Bevan, director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at the Work Foundation has said: “Sitting is the new smoking; the more sedentary you are the worse it is for your health.”
Poor posture for a long period of time puts tremendous strain on the neck and creates abnormal stress on the spine. This stress can eventually develop into structural changes in the spine which manifest as disc and joint degeneration, shortening or lengthening of support ligaments and muscles, together with wear and tear on cartilage. All of these changes can lead to pain.
It’s thought that the average person spends more than half of his or her waking hours in an inactive state, such as sitting at a computer, watching TV and commuting to and from work. If this sounds like you, then maybe it’s time to think about what more you can do to preserve your body before the back, neck and shoulder pains sneak up on you and start to impact on your lifestyle.
The key is to preserve your good health before it’s too late. Simple chiropractic adjustments can help with this. A chiropractor can assess your current spinal health and adjust any misalignments that may exist, while helping you find the ideal neutral position for your spine. They will also teach you good techniques and exercises for improving your posture when at work or home.
The team at Life Chiropractic treat patients every day who are seeking to maintain the optimum health of their body.
