For many people, working from home is now their normal way of doing business. While there are a lot of perks to this new landscape of remote work, you may also be noticing some impacts on your body now that you are working out of a home office every day. More and more people have been experiencing back pain as a result of uncomfortable office chairs or being forced to work from places like the couch or their bed, rather than a proper ergonomic setup. If this back pain and related symptoms may become enough to have you Googling “best chiropractor near me” to seek some relief, you’re doing the right thing. Chiropractic care is very important for those working from home- keep reading to learn why.
Poor Desk Posture
When it comes to back pain caused by office work, most problems can be attributed to posture while sitting. While sitting seems simple and natural, it can actually be harmful to the musculoskeletal system when done improperly or in excess. In addition to sitting for a long time, working at a computer all day, or hunched over a screen, forces the body to sit in ways it was not designed to function. This places stress on the spine and can lead to misalignments in the spine. Over time, these common activities can lead to work injuries such as long term spinal problems and the stress and pressure may interfere with nerve function, placing pressure on the nerves. This is what leads to the back pain many experience.
Preventing Back Pain at Home
Chiropractic care focuses on the prevention of injuries and pain. So before you type in “chiropractor near me,” you may want to take some steps at home to ensure you are preventing spinal issues. Here are some of our best tips:
- Make sure that your screen is at a height that puts it at eye level. This prevents you from bending your neck forward, which places tension on the neck and back. You may want to use a separate monitor or a wireless mouse and keyboard to achieve this.
- Get up and stretch at least every hour. Sitting in one place for too long can be harmful, so even pacing around the room can help. You can set alarms to remind you time has passed.
- Stand as much as you can, like during phone calls.
- Keep your hips and knees at a right angle. This may require a footrest or stool. You can experiment with different chairs and positions to achieve this.
- Use blue light glasses or a filter to prevent eye pain and headaches.
How a Chiropractor Can Help
If these tips don’t do enough to help with your back pain, or you feel you may have already suffered some spinal damage, it might be time to find a chiropractor. They will help put the body back into proper alignment, relieving pain and allowing you to correct your posture correctly. A chiropractor will also be able to suggest more tips to sit properly and improve posture, recommend exercises for strength, and perform manual adjustments to align the spine.
Manual adjustments are the primary tactic used by chiropractors to help heal the spine and neck. In these adjustments, the vertebrae are moved back into their proper position using manual movement. This removes the pressure of compressed vertebrae or pinched nerves that may be causing your symptoms.
Chiropractic care is a natural option to help with these problems. Rather than relying on pain medication to hide symptoms, the goal of visiting a chiropractor is to make the root cause of your symptoms disappear naturally, returning your body to the state of alignment it was in prior to the damage caused by poor posture. This not only alleviates your symptoms, but can also help prevent you from suffering the same injuries again. With suggestions for preventative measures, chiropractors can help avoid you needing ongoing treatment as problems worsen over time.
What Chiropractor Near Me Should I See?
How do you pick a chiropractor? You may find a wide range of chiropractors in your area, making the choice overwhelming. At AICA Atlanta, our chiropractors are not only experts in adjustments and healing your back pain, but they work with a team of other specialists to provide the most comprehensive care possible. AICA Atlanta chiropractors will design a treatment plan that is customized to your needs and lifestyle, working with you to design work at-home habits that are sustainable for you during this time. If you are working from home, contact us today to start ensuring good posture and less pain.