Avoid Health Problems at Work

Sore back, stiff neck, aching wrists? All of us office desk-junkies have had some or all of these problems at some point in our working life.

Staring at a computer screen for long hours strains your eyes and can lead to discomfort, fatigue and loss of productivity.

We sit for long hours in front of a computer, glued to our chairs or stuck to our phones. The human body was made to move around and since we don’t do that, we end up with a long list of these “lifestyle” health problems.

They start small and our most common response is to ignore them. But doctors say that’s a big mistake. The longer you delay a remedy, the bigger your problem will become. In the worst-case scenario, you could end up with severe spinal injury or a compression of nerves that might force you to discontinue work.

Take action now to avoid that possibility later. Several small changes in your daily actions and habits can ease your pain, and go a long way in keeping computer-related health problems at bay.

Here’s a look at how to deal with five potential problem areas:

The Back

Long hours of desk work is a sure way of developing a whole host of back problems. That’s because most of us usually sit in what doctors say is the wrong posture, not keeping our spine straight and rested.

When you do that for hours on end, it results in perpetual lower back ache, numbness, stiffness, and a general sense of weakness in the back. In extreme cases, individuals develop serious spinal or disc-related injuries.

Start helping yourself by improving your posture. Don’t slouch while sitting and ensure that your seat has good back support and is well-cushioned, says Dr. Sushum Sharma, medical advisor at Max Healthcare.

Ideally, your buttocks should be right at the back of your chair seat.

Take regular breaks (once every hour) to stretch your muscles and relieve your spinal disc from mounting strain. It could be as simple as walking over to your colleague’s desk or to the water cooler.

You can also do some simple stretching exercises near your desk. While sitting on your chair, you can try “flexing your feet, rotating your ankles, stretching your arms and legs,” says Dr. H. K. Chopra, consultant in medicine and cardiology at Moolchand Heart Hospital.

Many companies, such as Google India Pvt. Ltd. and New Delhi Television, have gymnasiums in their office complexes, which employees can use to work out.

The Neck

If you have to crane or bend your neck too much to look at your computer screen, it will likely cause soreness and pain. Experts suggest placing your computer at eye level, so you can keep your neck straight.

“One must not look up or down at the screen, or keep one’s neck bent for long,” says Dr. Harshavardhan Hegde, director of orthopaedics at Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

Typing when you have a phone receiver anchored between your ear and shoulder is another bad idea. Use a headset instead. If your company doesn’t provide it, you can buy one for around 3,000 rupees ($66).

Exercise, once again, can come to the rescue. Do neck rotations by gently turning your head to the left side, holding it for some time and then repeating the process for the right side.

The Shoulders

Poor posture or a poorly-designed work station can leave you with aching shoulder muscles. If your desk is too high, you might be raising your arms a lot to reach your keyboard, stressing your forearms and some shoulder muscles.

“Incorrect height of your armrest can really add to your neck-shoulder problems,” says Bharati Jajoo, co-founder of Bangalore-based ErgoWorks Inc., which helps companies on work-related health issues.

Besides making the necessary adjustments to your chair, armrest and desk, consider using a footrest to ensure that your feet are firmly on the ground and thus can carry some of your body weight.

To ease the tension in your shoulders, do simple exercises like pushing your shoulders forward and back. Lift your shoulders for 10 seconds and bring them down for 10 seconds. Rotate your shoulders clockwise and anti-clockwise five times each.

Make sure these exercises are done slowly. “If it causes pain, it’s not the right exercise,” says Ms. Jajoo.

The Wrists

                         

Problems in the wrist are typically caused by repetitive use of the keyboard or mouse incorrectly. You should not be straining the wrist upwards or bending it too much.

Also, don’t leave it hanging without any support.

“Your forearm, your wrist and your keyboard should be in one line,” says Ms. Jajoo.

If you need to rest your wrist, do so on a soft surface such as on wrist pads that are now easily available in the market. Regular flexing and exercise of fingers and wrists are essential.

The Eyes

                                     

Staring at a computer screen for long hours strains your eyes and can lead to discomfort, fatigue and loss of productivity.

To minimize eye strain, place your monitor 18 to 24 inches away – depending on what’s comfortable for you. If you are straining to read what’s on your screen, use the magical keys “Ctrl and +” to increase the font on your web pages.

Simple eye exercises can relieve stress on the eyes. Make a conscious effort to blink a lot and spend a couple of minutes to look to the extreme left and extreme right and roll your eyes.

Relax your eyes at regular intervals by  ”looking away from the computer screen and staring at an object 20 feet away,” says Dr. Chopra of Moolchand.

While some progressive companies try to help employees deal with these and other work-related problems, remember that at the end of the day, your health is your responsibility.

Leave your health tips in the Comments section.

courtesy the wall street journal 

Avoid Health Problems at Work