One of the reasons I love being an internet marketer is because it allows me to work from my laptop no matter where I travel. The Video Consumer Mapping Study reports that said adults in the United States average about 142 minutes per day in front of some type of a computer. As of the time of this writing, it’s not even lunchtime and I already have that time beat by more than an hour. Along with carpal tunnel, migraines, and other chronic physical ailments related to spending too much time at a desk, computer back pain syndrome now ranks among the most common complaints among chiropractic patients.
Stress is one of the primary culprits for computer back syndrome, followed by working in a poorly designed area. Spending several hours a day hunched over a computer keyboard leads to tense, stiff muscles which can cramp up and cause terrible pain in the back, shoulders, and neck. Left untreated, it can lead to migraines, or a misaligned spine or pelvis. And treatment could involve sessions with the chiropractor for techniques such as neck and spine manipulation that, depending on the severity of your condition, could cause more pain before leading to relief.
Tips for Travelers
When asked if she wrote while traveling, bestselling author Nora Roberts replied, “I do indeed write on the road. My laptop goes with me everywhere.” I agree, which is why I take preventative measures against computer back pain syndrome, whether I’m working out of my home office or taking advantage of the free WiFi while enjoying a latte at my favorite local coffee shop.
- Sit up straight. Good posture is the way you hold your body against gravity, no matter whether you are sitting, standing, or lying down. Good posture keeps your bones and joints aligned, decreases stress on ligaments, prevents fatigue, and prevents other forms of strain and pain. The same goes for standing – keep your head over your shoulders, your shoulders over your pelvis, tuck in your tummy, and keep your feet slightly apart for optimal posture when standing.
- Customize your space. When in your office, keep your chair, computer, and desk adjusted to your height and avoid letting anyone else use your space if possible. Office ergonomics aren’t limited to the equipment inside your office, like your desk, chair, and monitor stand. External mice and keyboards, iPad kiosks, and travel desks for laptop use while out of the office can go a long way towards promoting an overall well-being when it comes to working on the go.
- Walk it out. The worst thing you can do for your back while working is to work for too many hours without taking a break. Inside the office, water coolers and break rooms are there for a reason. Every hour or so, stand up and stretch, reaching your arms to the ceiling. While it might look silly to those around you, you won’t be the one complaining of a backache at the end of the day. If you’re in a public place, be sure to use precautions like a laptop security table to keep your devices from disappearing once your back is turned.
Looking for ways to relieve my back pain also led to reading quite a few inversion therapy reviews, which offered tips for adding one of the innovative exercise tools to a home office. Using an inversion therapy table to stretch out once a day helps realign the spine and hips. This table stretched my back and legs, and relieved a lot of pain and tension in my spine. I recommend it for anyone.
Normal Activity Injuries
Things like carpal tunnel and back pain are commonplace among office workers, whether they’re in the same cubicle day after day or enjoy more of a nomadic office, working from whichever local WiFi point is available. These kinds of injuries are called non-accidental injuries and happy as a result of everyday tasks, like typing on a computer keyboard or staring at a laptop screen. While office and computer ergonomics minimize some of the risks, staying physically fit through athletic activity or even some light meditative yoga can provide even more benefits to preventing these types of accidents from happening at all.
About the Author:
Successful writer Rick Mercado thought that someone in his early thirties was not yet ready for back pain until all the hours of sitting in his home office caught up with him. Thanks to www.solvingbackpain.com and a decompression machine and taking his laptop to different working environments, like the local coffee shop, he’s managed to prevent the initial twinges from turning into something worse. When this online marketer isn’t working or spending time with his wife, he enjoys being outdoors doing things like kayaking or hiking through Canada’s rugged eastern coastline.