Millions of Americans have seen their house or apartment turn into a home office in recent weeks as we work to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and that means we’re working to adjust to this new environment. Regardless of what you think of your new work space in terms of productivity, there’s a good chance your new set up is also putting your neck health at risk. Below, we share some tips to help protect your cervical spine when working from home.
Cervical Spine Care At The Home Office
Here are some ways you can help protect your neck while you’re adjusting to the new normal working from home.
- Choose Your Chair Wisely – Odds are you have a decent work chair at the office, but you may not be able to say the same at home. If you end up working from an armchair or the sofa, you’re not going to have as much spine support, and that will leave you out of spinal alignment. This typically leads to the need to lean your head forward to compensate, and this will put extra pressure on your cervical spine. Pick a firm, supportive and comfortable spot to get your work done, and try to keep your head positioned direction above your shoulders. Or better yet…
- Stand While You Work – Standing helps to take some pressure off your spine, but it can also impact your neck if you’re not careful how you’re working. If you’re going to work at a computer while standing, your computer needs to be up near eye level, otherwise you’ll be hunching forward to see the screen, and that will put your neck at risk for injury. If your home office isn’t really designed to support a standing workstation, see if there are points throughout the day where you can stand and work. Take phone calls while standing, and your neck will thank you for it.
- Hydrate – Drink plenty of water when you’re working from home. Not only will this help improve blood flow and keep your spinal discs hydrated, but it will also lead to more frequent bathroom breaks, and you can use this time to move around a bit and stretch out some areas of your spine that have been stressed while you’re seated. Have a big bottle of water near your workstation throughout the day.
- Regular Posture Checks – A lot of people don’t realize the stress their body is feeling while they are sitting until they stand up and move around. Make it a point to perform regular posture checks a couple times throughout the hour. Make any necessary corrections and take a couple minutes to stand up and alleviate some of the built up stress. If you notice that your neck is subconsciously moving out of position, these regular posture checks will help to keep it in a healthy position.
And if you want to help protect your neck when you’re not at the clock, make sure you’re getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. If you keep these tips in mind, we’re confident that your home office won’t put excess stress on your neck. For help with any of your neck or spine needs, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today.
