Working in a seated position, or typing on a keyboard all day, can put a lot of stress on your body. Aside from causing pain in your back, shoulders, and wrists, work-related injuries can lead to long-term health problems like chronic back pain, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. These conditions result in thousands of lost workdays each year and can make it difficult to perform your job in the long run.
Injuries come in all shapes and sizes. But regardless of the source of pain or injury, people have one thing in common - they want to get rid of it as fast as possible. They want it to go away. They don't want to feel the pain any longer than necessary. Although work-related injuries are a constant worry for office workers, how you handle them will go a long way to preventing injuries in the future.
Here are three of the most common injury types - and what you can do to prevent them:
1. Back, neck, and shoulder pain
Neck pain, also known as cervicalgia, is the most common injury that occurs in typists and computer workers who sit at their desks for long periods of time. It's the result of the repeated stress on your neck muscles caused by hours of pressing your head into a computer screen or mouse pad. Neck pain can be caused by trauma, poor posture, stress, and repetitive movements.
Since neck pain is often triggered by a combination of risk factors, a medical professional will probably use an approach that takes all these risk factors into account. That's why lymphatic drainage massage is often combined with ergonomic interventions. This involves mobilising the joints in the neck and spine and increasing your range of motion. It's a great way to reduce neck pain in its early stages.
The most important thing you can do is take frequent breaks from typing. If you have a keyboard that allows for split keyboarding, this is a great way to reduce strain on your wrists and elbows. Alternatively, you could try using a standing desk. Wide and adjustable work surfaces not only help you avoid repetitive movements but also reduce strain on your back.
Another way to straighten up and avoid neck pain is by adjusting your chair height. Good office chairs have an adjustable seat height range, allowing you to easily adjust the chair so that your body is at the correct angle for typing. However, when you sit too low on the chair, this places an unnecessary strain on your spine and neck muscles.
2. Repetitive stress syndrome or repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and overexertion
Overexertion, also called overuse injury, can occur when you constantly work to the point of complete exhaustion. Overexertion most often occurs in repetitive injuries, such as tennis elbow or repetitive strain injuries (RSI). This repetitive movement causes pain in your hands or arms and numbness and tingling sensations. This is because muscles become overly stressed, despite new muscle development.
RSI includes a wide range of injuries characterised by tendinitis, tenosynovitis, or bursitis - all of which are painful disorders of the joints and soft tissues of your arms or hands.
Here are some common RSI injuries, and how you can prevent them:
Tendinitis
This is an inflamed tendon that can be caused by overuse or poor posture. In many cases, it's simply a result of stress on the tendons in your wrists.
The most important thing you can do to relieve tendinitis is to take time away from your computer. Use the mouse as little as possible and try to walk around every few hours. You'll be surprised by how much this helps!
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
This is a tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers, caused by pressure on your wrist nerves. It's most common in people who type, but it can also occur if you do a lot of work with your hands.
The first step is to see a doctor. If your doctor says you have tendinitis or carpal tunnel syndrome, they may suggest ways to reduce your pain. These can include:
- Wrist splints and night splints
- Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. This can reduce pain and swelling.
- Anti-inflammatory cream, like Eucerin. It has a cooling effect to reduce inflammation.
There are various ways to avoid overuse injuries. You should actively stretch your muscles and joints daily but be sure not to overstretch or overextend your muscles beyond their normal range of motion. You can also purchase tools to reduce strain on your hands and wrists.
A lot of chairs are bad for the wrists and hands in relation to office use, so we always recommend that you invest in a good ergonomic office chair. This will help reduce back, neck, and shoulder pain. Using a computer keyboard with split keyboarding is also a great way to reduce strain on your wrists. If you're not using a split keyboard, try using your elbow instead of your arm to type. This will make it easier for you to use the mouse and reduce stress on your muscles and tendons.
3. Eye strain
Many people don't realise how much they use their eyes in the office. It's important to take breaks from looking at a computer screen. Use the 20-20-20 rule: every twenty minutes, look away from your screen for twenty seconds and focus on an object at least twenty feet away from you. This will strengthen the muscles around your eyes and reduce eyestrain.
Alternatively, try repositioning your monitor. If you have an adjustable desk, try raising and lowering your monitor and workstation at regular intervals to force you to change your standing or seated position more often. This will help keep you from looking at your computer screen for too long.
If you want to prevent injuries in the long run, you should know how to prevent your body from feeling pain and strain. This can help prevent the development of painful injuries that cause long-term health problems. So, make sure to take ample breaks, stretch your neck and work on other ergonomic options to reduce strain.
