Is Working from Home a Pain in Your Neck?

Working from home can change your life in many positive ways. Depending on your situation, you may be able to ditch your long commutes. Or, you may be able to take walks, rest, or run errands when you want.

However, our providers at Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas have noticed a few common issues with many patients who have switched to working from home, namely neck pain, back pain, and headaches.

The reason often has to do with ergonomics and biomechanics. In this blog, our providers explain what these terms mean and how you can get relief.

Let’s talk about ergonomics

While you may be enjoying your time at home, you may have overlooked some of the benefits of the office experience.

Office furniture typically takes ergonomic needs into account. This means the desk, chairs, etc., were likely designed to make sure your body would be in the correct position throughout the day and that undue pressure wouldn’t be placed on your spine.

Your home office might not have these considerations taken into account. Couches and lounge chairs are meant for relaxing, not working. However, many people try to make home furnishings work for at-home office needs without thinking about the proper position of the body.

In order to make working from home ideal for your body, you might need to change the ergonomics of your setup. You might need a good office chair, a riser for your computer monitor, and other pieces of equipment to help relieve your symptoms and keep your body functioning well.

Rebalancing your biomechanics

In order to address your neck pain, you may need to adjust your biomechanics. Biomechanics is the study of the body and how the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other parts work together. 

This brings us to your head and spine. Your head likely weighs about as much as a bowling ball, which is around 8-10 lbs. And while this may just sound like an interesting piece of trivia, the reason this is important is that your neck has to hold up your head at all times.

So, if you sit slouched or hunched over, this can put enormous pressure on your cervical spine. This, in turn, can damage the tissues that support your spine, which can lead to neck pain.

The good news is, physical therapy and gait retraining can help you improve your posture, which can take the pressure off of your neck and relieve your neck pain and related issues.

More treatments for neck pain, back pain, or headaches

In some cases, just making changes to your work-from-home setup or improving your posture may not be enough to address certain kinds of spinal issues. For example, if you have a herniated disc or spinal stenosis, you’ll likely need more involved treatment.

In these cases, we may recommend minimally invasive treatments. The good news is, we can give you the care you need in these situations, too. We can diagnose your condition and recommend the right therapies and interventions to treat your condition and relieve your symptoms.

If you’re suffering with neck pain, back pain, headaches, or a combination of them, we can help. To learn more, contact Neuropathy and Pain Centers of Texas to schedule an appointment today. We have offices in Fort Worth, Arlington, Waco, and Wichita Falls, Texas.