Office work may seem relatively safe and easy, but it can still result in a variety of injuries. Sitting for long periods, repetitive movements, and poor ergonomics can all contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among office workers.
One of the most common injuries experienced by office workers is back pain. Sitting for long periods without maintaining the ‘correct posture’ can cause strain on the joints, muscles and ligaments of the lower back, leading to pain and discomfort. Some ways to help prevent back pain are to apply ergonomic principles to adjust your chair and equipment to support an optimal posture, and make sure to take regular breaks to stand up and move around.
Another common injury for office workers is carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition is caused by repetitive motions and sustained gripping such as occurs during typing and mouse usage. This can lead to inflammation and compression of the median nerve in the wrist. To prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, make sure to take regular breaks, stretch your hands and wrists, and use an ergonomic keyboard and mouse.
Neck and shoulder pain is another common issue. Sitting in the same position for long periods, particularly if looking down at a monitor or laptop screen, can cause strain on the muscles and ligaments of the neck and upper back, leading to pain and discomfort. The best way to prevent this pain is to make sure that the computer monitor is set at the optimal height (which in itself could be a whole other blog post), and again to make sure to take regular breaks to change posture or perform exercises designed to increase bloodflow and stretch the soft tissues.
Finally, office workers are prone to eye strain and headaches caused by prolonged staring at computer screens. To prevent eye strain, make sure to take regular breaks and make sure that the room is well-lit and that the light source is not directly behind the computer screen (angle your monitor if needed).
There is nothing complicated about implementing any of these suggestions, but sometimes it takes another set of eyes to look at what you are doing or how you are set up to give you the advice needed to reduce your risk of injury. Ergo Experts can help with this – please contact us on 0409 512 434 or send an email to info@ergoexperts.com.au