Sitting and working on office computer all day can not only be quite tiring, but it can also be the root cause of back and joint pain, and other physical problems. If you work in an office and find that your sitting at the computer (or typing on a keyboard) or on a phone for long periods of time per day at work is causing you to experience back pain, here are some things that you can do to help avoid it. You should also pay a visit to your doctor, who’ll be able to treat you for the pain and help make sure you correctly prevent it from getting worse.
1. Good Posture
If you slouch in your chair and don’t sit up straight with a proper back support, you will find that this is most likely the cause of your back pain. Placing a cushion or other support behind your back when at work could help to resolve this problem, or you could even use specially designed workplace computer chairs with built-in back support to help you with your posture. If you find that the furniture used at your workplace is not suitable for your needs, speak to your manager or HR department about getting some office furniture for you that provides a greater level of support.
2. Move Around to Stretch your Legs
Whenever possible, you should get up and stretch your legs for a while, or go for a short walk around the office in order to stop your muscles and joints from becoming stiff, a problem that could cause joint pain. If you need to stay at your desk for any reason, such as a constant inflow of phone calls, simply standing up and taking a couple of steps to each side for a few minutes should help, and you won’t need to leave your desk. If you’re experiencing pain and think that you’ll need to take more breaks, you should speak to your manager to come to an arrangement. On the other hand, if you are looking for a comfortable office chair your manager shall help you.
3. Support Your Feet
Depending on your height, you might be experiencing back pain if your feet are fully flat on the ground when at work. If you normally sit with your legs crossed or stretched out, you should change your posture so that your feet are placed firmly on the floor. You might even want to consider investing in a footstool in order to ensure that your feet are getting proper support when at work, as this will help prevent your back from aching.