Man sitting at a desk with a laptop experiencing back pain

Working in a sedentary environment is a breeding ground for aches and pains. Whether it is in an office place or working from home, performing the same repetitive motions over and over again can exacerbate the pain that you may have. This is never pleasant but happens far too often.

You may be the victim of poor ergonomics at work. If things are not positioned correctly, it can force your body to adjust in very uncomfortable ways. These awkward stances can become commonplace, leading to pain becoming more and more prevalent.

BioMotion wants to help you. To provide you with pain relief, you need to know about work ergonomics. By taking a couple steps at work or home, you can avoid the pitfalls of crippling pain later in life. Improve your lifestyle and educate yourself about ergonomics.

What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the ease of your personal movement within a space. Typically, you’ll find a big focus on ergonomics within the workplace. In an environment that places efficiency above everything else, it makes sense to create a fluid and comfortable space. Any impediment costs time, manpower, and money.

That’s why companies invest in the ergonomics of their workers. When an employee suffers due to pain caused by poor ergonomics, it affects the efficiency of the overall company. Some companies will create entire departments to focus on ergonomics. In their minds, investing in ease of movement will increase efficiency, which will increase financial stability for the company.

Many companies provide average chairs with average desks. Quite often, these are not designed for ease of movement, but with the philosophy of maximizing space. To function in an office environment, you must live in a minuscule city where all documents are available at all times. Problems get created when reaching for the same space over and over again.

Repetitive movements in an uncomfortable area can exacerbate pre-existing pain. What might have been a minor discomfort when reaching for a filing cabinet may turn into sciatica before long. It is important to manage any pain issues before they become unbearable.

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Ergonomics Tips

Getting the most out of ergonomics requires discipline. To maximize your work area, provide ease of movement, and prevent pain, you must be thorough in the placement of your materials. By taking care of this, you will be eliminating problems not just with yourself, but with your workplace performance as well.

How high is your computer monitor placed?

If your monitor is placed too low, you may have to stoop your body to look at it, causing neck pain. If it's too high, you may have to extend your body to look at it, causing more neck pain. Either way, if you have to move your monitor to work correctly, it is incorrectly placed. You should not have to adjust your body into any odd positions. The correct position for your monitor should be at eye level. Putting it at eye level will create comfort while looking at the screen. This encourages good posture and relieves pressure on your back.

How is your chair?

A chair has to be more than just comfortable. To prevent back problems, it has to promote healthy posture as well as optimum shoulder placement. It needs to be more than just soft. It also has to be good for your health. The right kind of chair should involve back support. This will allow a bit of weight distribution to rest on the chair instead of your body the entire time. With weight resting on just your back, you will create damaging problems that could radiate to your hands.

How is your keyboard placed?

Ideally, your wrists should rest on the "front" (the part facing you) of the keyboard. You should then have your hands splayed over the keys and not in an arc over them. Additionally, you should not have to reach or shrink down your arms to reach the keyboard. You should be able to put them in front of you naturally. Keeping your hands arced creates muscle tension, causing pain within the wrists. Also, reaching or shrinking down for the keyboard over an extended period can cause shoulder problems later in life.

How are the items on your desk placed?

Much like the placement of your computer monitor, the items you use every day on your desk need to be placed in a proper position. If you have to adjust your body to get things like a stapler, then your items are too far away. You need a better plan. Spend five minutes to make sure your things are within arm's reach. Doing this will save you a lifetime of medical bills and health problems. Repeated uncomfortable movement creates long lasting problems. Take control of your environment and make it fit you, not the other way around.

How can BioMotion Help Me With Ergonomics?

BioMotion Physical Therapy can help correct pain caused by poor ergonomics. We can work with your existing posture and identify problem points. These problem spots will more than likely be the cause of any existing pain you may have.

Our skilled professionals will help encourage satisfactory posture through a series of physical exercises. These will contribute to creating a straighter sitting day for you. By the end of your time with BioMotion, you should be able to have a good, square posture as well as some sweet relief for any pain you once had.

If you’ve suffered from poor work ergonomics and would like the help of a trained staff, contact BioMotion. Our physical therapy in Austin is unparalleled and waiting for you to take advantage. Contact us now and get your life back.

Call (210) 659-4333