How to Avoid Computer Back Pain
By Sara Butler
A lot of people use computers. According to the Daily Mail, people spend an average of seven hours per day using a computer – that doesn’t even count your own handheld devices! So it makes sense that computer use has led to a lot of concern in the chiropractic world for the way it impacts back pain. The chiropractors at The Joint have many patients with computer-related back pain. If computer use is a part of your daily life, then you need these tips to help keep your spine healthy.
What You Can Do
Since computer use isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, you can take steps to mitigate the impact of computer use in your daily life a few ways. You should:
- Have an ergonomics assessment – The setup of your workstation can help to keep computer-related back pain at bay. Make sure you’re working with your elbows at a right angle, sitting up straight, and that your screen is at eye level.
- Take breaks – You need to take breaks at least once per hour in order to keep your body healthy. Set up a reminder on your computer or smartphone to take a few minutes to stand up, stretch, and move around. Bodies aren’t made to sit around all day!
Get Help
In order to practice good posture, you have to make sure your muscles are activated and able to support your spine, as well as the rest of the body. But in order for that to happen, you have to have proper mobility in the joints of your spine – which is where the chiropractor can come in handy!
When your body is free from joint dysfunction and restriction, then the central nervous system is able to communicate to all parts of your body freely. This will help encourage proper muscle activation and encourage proper posture.
Chiropractic adjustments also help to ensure proper range of motion, which is needed to reduce tension. It also has a great side effect: less fatigue that leads to less back pain from computer work!
You don’t have to accept back pain as a fact of life – it’s not a normal state of being. If you work at the computer and are experiencing back pain, then discuss it with the chiropractors at The Joint today! They can help to get you started on the road to recovery and make working at a computer a pain-free experience!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Houston, Tex.
