‘Gradual and insidious’: Working from home becomes a real headache for some | The Canadian News

If you work from home and read this, you are probably not doing it right.

Twenty months after the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become the norm for many people, and dropping Zoom calls isn’t the only issue they’re dealing with.

Calgary Physical Therapist and Clinical Director for Lifemark Physiotherapy Aspen, Jonathan Reimer, told Global News that he is treating many more patients with posture-related injuries. He attributed it to poor home office working conditions and lack of proper ergonomics.

“We always saw a number of neck and back injuries related to prolonged office work. But what we are seeing now is an increase in the number of these types of injuries, ”he said.

“What we often hear are stories like people working from a recliner, or with a laptop or tablet, or people working at the kitchen table with a regular chair placed on the kitchen table.”

Reimer said that if you’re using a laptop that’s not ergonomically ideal height, you’re likely leaning your head forward and putting a lot of pressure on the base of your neck.

“The posture problem is very gradual and insidious. You don’t know you’re having trouble until you hit this tipping point. And suddenly there will be pain and dysfunction, but it’s been a long time in the making. “

He said that poor postural alignment puts a lot of pressure on the discs in the neck and lower back, and if those discs fail and herniate it can create significant nerve compression, which can take months to heal.

“We may be dealing with half a year or a year for recovery. And in addition, it is very uncomfortable and it will disturb your sleep, your recreational activity, your activity of daily life, it is a very uncomfortable scenario to be in. “

Get up and move

Reimer said one big thing that many home office workers lack is regular movement.

“Many people describe the scenario in which in their workplace they were up and away from their desk towards the copier, to talk with other colleagues. That is simply not happening as they spend hours in a stationary position and are generally unaware of their posture, ”he said.

He suggested that work movement be interrupted in your workday every 30 minutes or so, along with a few other steps to prevent pain and injury:

• Use a suitable office chair. If you don’t have great lumbar support, support your lower back with a small pillow or rolled towel.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent at about 90 degrees.
• Raise your laptop to keep your head and eyes looking straight ahead, rather than down.
• Work on some exercises throughout the day, such as chin curls, neck stretches, and pelvic tilts.

Reimer says that as more companies move toward making working from home the typical pandemic, people should consider setting up adequate offices.

“If your company is willing, it is not a bad idea to discuss with them whether or not you can have an ergonomic assessment in the workplace. Many companies are investing in ergonomic assessments within their workplace, but now if the home is becoming the new workplace, it would be good to see if the company is okay with doing so. “

Ergonomic solutions

“Awkward” is a common word customers use to describe their home office setup when they show up at Source Office Furnishings, according to Sales Director James Sheppard.

He said they are seeing an increase in sales of ergonomic home office furniture since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Before the pandemic, much of our business involved working with corporate or central offices. Now, we often work directly with clients in their home offices, ”he says.

“We’re seeing new customers who have never shopped with us before, or who haven’t shopped for a home office, which is exciting because we can introduce them to all the customization and personalization available to them.”

Sheppard says chairs are one of the top pieces customers look for, along with height-adjustable desks. But the customizable options are endless, with accessories like keyboard trays, as well as accessories to manage technology and monitor arms so you can position your tools exactly how you need them.

Sheppard echoes Reimer’s advice to take breaks and move during the day, but also adds that it’s important to unplug at the end of the workday.

“Sometimes we spend our personal computer time and our work time in the same space, so it is important to have a routine or trigger to get out of work mode and enjoy the rest of the day.”