Tips to prevent back pain at work
Although workplace injuries and accidents sometimes happen in Colorado, physical fatigue from the daily grind is much more common. Many people suffer from back and neck pain at work, whether it’s from too little or too much movement. You might feel incredibly sore at the end of the day simply from doing your job.
Soreness from repetitive motion, heavy lifting, or restrictive desk work isn’t the first thing you might think about in regards to workplace injuries. However, these can all lead to serious pain and health problems in the future.
You don’t only have to have a physically demanding job to feel the pain. In fact, jobs that restrict movement can also create health concerns. Researchers in Germany concluded that many office workers want to sit less and move more. They found that light physical activity spread throughout the workday is ideal for most people. According to their report, most workers want to spend only half of the day sitting instead of sitting for 70% of the day, which is the current reality.
There may be ways of reducing back and neck pain at work. While you should speak with a medical professional if you believe your condition is serious, there are a few steps you can take to prevent sore muscles at the end of the day.
To avoid back and neck pain, you may wish to:
- Ask your employer if a sit-to-stand desk is available to you
- Take frequent, brief breaks to stretch or walk around
- Adjust your chair to support your lower back and check that the height is correct
- Maintain good posture
- Exercise outside of work or use physical therapy to strengthen the muscles
Of course, there may be a situation more serious than normal muscle fatigue. If your job has led to significant back pain or disability, you could discuss the potential for worker’s compensation with a lawyer at Alverson & O’Brien.
