Office workers’ jobs may not require much heavy lifting, but these occupations can put a lot of strain on the body.
This is especially true with regard to the neck. Sitting in an office chair for many hours every day can lead to numerous issues for the neck and upper back.
If you’re suffering from neck pain as a result of your job, this post is for you! Let’s take a look at the top 5 tips for reducing neck pain while working.
Tip #1: Focus On Perfect Posture
Perfect posture is a term that gets thrown around a lot. But what, exactly, does it mean to have perfect posture?
Well, the right posture will change depending on the position and task in question. For example, postures required during lifting are very different from postures required for comfortable, pain-free office work.
For seated office work specifically, you should aim to achieve the 90-90-90 position. This means that your hips are flexed to 90 degrees, your knees are at 90 degrees, and your ankles are at 90 degrees. Also, it is helpful to keep your elbows at 90 degrees and your wrists in a comfortable, pain-free posture.
Keeping your body in this position while working at your desk can go a long way, but there are many more key tips, listed in this article, that you should consider as well.
Tip #2: Perform Regular Exercise
Perhaps one of the best things you can do for your posture is to complete regular exercise. Cardiovascular, strength training, and flexibility exercise all help to keep the body in tip-top shape. Better yet, these exercise modes can help you avoid and overcome any neck pain symptoms you may develop from sitting and working at your desk for many hours on end.
If you’re brand new to exercise, a good goal to aim for is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week. You can accomplish this easily by walking around the block for 30 minutes, 5 times each week. Furthermore, you can achieve your flexibility and strength training goals by performing total body strengthening and flexibility exercises 2-3 times per week.
Tip #3: Take Frequent Breaks
While the stress of work can sometimes get the best of you, you should make sure that you take care of yourself by scheduling rest breaks into your day. If you don’t take time to rest and recover, eventually your body will wear out, and you’ll be forced to take time off for your injuries.
A good guideline for rest breaks is to take a 5-10 minute break every hour in which you get up and move around a little bit. Your body will thank you.
Tip #4: Modify Your Desk Setup
As was discussed in the previous points, there are many things you can do to alleviate your neck pain by moving and stretching throughout the day.
However, you should also closely consider your desk setup. If you aren’t set up in a way that works for you, you will put excess stress on your neck and other areas of your body.
It’s important to experiment with different desk setups to determine what will best help you decrease your pain. Standing desks, hybrid desks, and all sorts of other options exist that can assist you in your goal to prevent and eliminate neck and shoulder pain while working.
Tip #5: Visit Your Parker Chiropractor
No matter what you do to prevent and treat your neck pain, there are some things that you simply can’t address on your own. This is where your chiropractor comes into play.
Your Parker chiropractors at Awaken Chiropractic are ready to help you with your neck pain. Book your appointment today!
