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Try to prevent work-related backaches

On Behalf of | Apr 11, 2018 | Workplace Injuries |

When you go home from work, you shouldn’t have to deal with annoying aches and pains.  Even people who have physically demanding jobs deserve to be comfortable once they get home.  One thing that might happen at any job is a backache.  backaches are unfortunately common but they do not have to be an everyday occurrence, and they might signal a serious problem.  Fortunately, there are some easy ways that you can protect your back in a way that might prevent a backache.

Use ergonomic positioning. You need to always use proper posture.  Slouching can easily cause back pain.  If you are sitting at a desk, make sure your desk is the proper height so that you can reach the desktop without slouching.  If you are using a keyboard or a mouse, try not to reach over to them. Having to stretch to reach them can lead to back strain.  Additionally, make sure that your monitor is in a position where you don’t have to look down to read the screen.

If you have a job that requires you to speak on the phone, resist the urge to cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder.  When you cradle the phone, you place your neck at an unnatural bend for a prolonged period.  The alternative to this is to use a headset or another option to still be able to speak on the phone while you have your hands free.

Workers should make sure they are getting up and moving around a bit during their shift.  Even if you are sitting comfortably, moving around will help you by relieving the pressure on your spine and allowing the blood to move around the body better.  Standing desks are becoming more common – we have many in our own office!

If you do have a backache which is persistent or particularly painful, seek out medical care. There is a chance that there is something serious, such as a cumulative trauma injury or an aggravation of degenerative arthritis, which needs to be addressed.

Source: Health.com, “12 Ways to Stop Work-Related Back Pain,” Susan Hall, accessed April 06, 2018

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