Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Shedworkers at risk of back health problems


It's Chiropractic Awareness Week and this year’s campaign focuses on shedworking, flexible working, and the impact that working remotely can have on back health. The campaign is a result of consumer research conducted by the British Chiropractic Association who say that a fifth of people working remotely on a computer do so from the sofa, and more than one in ten admit working from their bed.

Work was cited as a trigger of back or neck pain by nearly a fifth of sufferers, but despite this, more than a quarter of workers admit to taking no proactive measures to protect their back while at work, whether at home or in an office.

The survey revealed that sitting in the same position for long periods of time was the most common cause of back or neck pain in the workplace, with over two fifths of workers who have suffered from back or neck pain citing this as a contributing factor.

The BCA has the following tips for shedworkers and other people working at home:

* If possible, always work at a table, sitting on a chair, rather than on the sofa or in bed.
* The top of your screen should be level with your eyebrows and if you are working from a laptop, make sure you are not hunching over the screen.
* If you don’t want to invest in a computer stand, place sturdy books, for example shopping catalogues, under your laptop so that you can adjust the level of the screen to fit your eye line.
* Use a detachable keyboard and mouse whenever possible, as this will ensure that your movement is not restricted and you are not placing unnecessary strain on your back.
* Taking regular breaks is extremely important and the BCA recommends workers move around every 20-30 minutes. An easy way to ensure that you get away from your desk is to set a loud alarm in another room.
* When making phone calls, take the opportunity to get up from your desk and move around as you talk.
* Embrace the privacy of working from home by doing regular stretches.

The BCA has developed a series of simple exercises to improve posture and help prevent back pain on its site here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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