Working from Home Ergonomics 101 During Coronavirus
As remote work and distance learning continue to become our new way of life, West Hartford Chiropractic urges you to avoid these common mistakes when configuring your home office that could lead to health issues. Strained necks, backs, and eyes are the issues many are facing during our work-from-home and distance learning orders during the COVID-19 outbreak. While continuing to work and learn from home, here are tips to configure your home’s workspace to benefit your health.
How should you configure your home office to avoid health issues?
While using a PC, laptop, iPad, do not use it solely on your lap, this is the worst ergonomic position for your neck and back. Keeping your computer level with your eyes will help to avoid neck strain. Placing a few books under your computer monitor or laptop will help raise the screen up high enough to reach your eye level. While sitting in a chair, your hips, knees, and ankles should be at 90-degree angles with bent elbows. To avoid lower back pain, you want your chair to have proper lumbar support.
How can you avoid eye, back, or wrist strain?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA has updated its guidelines to include four alternative workstation postures. Upright sitting, standing, reclining and declining, please reference this guide to ensure that you are setting up your workspace correctly. If you are in pain, then adjustments to your workspace set up will need to be adjusted. Also, make sure you have adequate lighting in your workspace to help avoid eye strain while focusing for long hours in front of a computer.
What kind of exercises are recommended to relieve or prevent pain caused by poor ergonomics?
Exercising from home does not require expensive equipment. At West Hartford Chiropractic, we would recommend scheduling an appointment to learn more about a personalized exercise plan that would work best for you and help target specific pain that you may be experiencing.
If you used to take walks on your lunch break, then we encourage you to continue doing that around your neighborhood to maintain your previous exercise routine. If you regularly went to the gym, then try to find a virtual exercise class to help simulate your previous workout. Make sure to take periodic stretch breaks once every hour during your workday to keep your body moving.
How has increased screen time made an impact on our overall health?
Working from your computer to checking your phones to watching TV has increased our screen time usage, which can make us feel like we are working a 24-hour day. To avoid watching TV, make sure your workspace is separate from your living room, where your TV may be accessible or make it a habit to have the TV off as much as possible, which can be challenging for those with children at home. We encourage that you take breaks from the computer screen once every hour for a few minutes.
For preventative care, see your chiropractor. Get your nervous system working at optimal capacity to treat the effect of prolonged sitting, an inappropriate workstation at home, and the effect of repetitive strain associated with the position of static effort. Prevent further damage to your body by strengthening your immune system and promote optimal health. For more information on how to improve your ergonomic workspace at home, or personalized exercise plans to resolve any current pain you may be experiencing from working at home, call West Hartford Chiropractic at 860-232-5556.
Ergonomics 101: Working from Home During Coronavirus, www.newswise.com/coronavirus/ergonomics-101-working-from-home-during-coronavirus/?article_id=730804.
