BACK PAIN ON THE JOB

What you can do to avoid those aches and pains while at work

Whether your day job requires you to sit at your desk for hours on end or to lift heavy items all day long, you are sure to experience some form of back pain at some point in your career.

It is essential that we care for our backs and do whatever we can to ensure that they remain as healthy as possible. Aches and pains tend to occur because of the kind of movements done at work or because there is a severe lack of movement throughout the working day.

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Contributing factors can be: Posture ie: slouching Stress Force Repetition

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As a result, life insurance companies find that more and more salary protection and disability cover claims are linked to back or shoulder injuries.

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So what can you do to improve the health of your back?

Here are a few helpful tips:

1.) When sitting at your desk, make sure both feet are flat on the floor and that you sit at a height that allows your hips to be slightly higher than your knees. Sit with your shoulders back against the chair. When standing, do not put all your weight on one leg.

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2.) A build-up of stress can lead to muscle spasms and tension in your back. Exercise can help to relieve this.

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3.) Avoid picking up or carrying items that are very heavy. Ask for assistance or if you must pick it up yourself, make sure you bend your knees and keep your back as straight as possible to avoid injury.

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4.) Getting up as much as possible throughout the day is imperative. You do not have to take long breaks – it is more about the frequency than the length. Sitting for too long means your back can tense up and this results in back pain. Try varying your tasks as well and use a headset if you spend a significant amount of time on the phone. Cradling the handset between your shoulder and neck causes strain in those areas.

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5.) Make sure that when looking straight ahead your natural line of vision falls within the top third of your screen. Looking down constantly puts strain on your neck and encourages slouching. Sit as close into the desk as possible and keep your equipment (mouse, keyboard etc) close to you to prevent over-reaching.

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Take care of your back – it’s the only one you have!

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