Back pain is one of the most common injuries and dysfunctions we see at Northwest Rehab Group, especially during this pandemic!

As many people shifted from in-office to at-home work, people have become quite creative with their work from home space. We have heard everything from sitting on the couch looking down at a laptop, to laying in bed and working. As this becomes a frequent occurrence at home, back pain continues to rise. The best way to mitigate this? Get your joints moving!

Here are a few tips to decrease pain while working from home:

1. Make sure you have an ergonomic desk set up – you can get creative!
   – Make sure that your chair is optimal with some lumbar support on your lower back and seated to the back of the chair – a pillow works well!
   – knees at 90 degrees with feet on the ground – place a stool under your feet if you need.
   – make sure when you are typing on the computer that your elbows are at 90 degrees. If your shoulders are shrugging, your table may be too high.
   – Make sure your screen is at eye level – Prop up your screen on those Amazon boxes that you’ve been collecting over the past year. We have all been guilty of online shopping!
   – If you have a laptop, get a wireless keyboard so that you can prop your screen up.
   – If you have multiple screens at home, check if you look at one screen more than the other and adjust the screens so they are more even. You’d be surprised that many people look at one more!
2. Stretch!
   – Sitting for 8 hours per day causes your joints and muscles to stiffen up over time, so the best thing is to get up and stretch every 45 minutes! This also helps your concentration!
   – Some great stretches we love to do: seated cat cow, figure 4 stretch, trapezius and levator scap stretch, pec stretching
   – Whenever you get up to grab a drink or food, make sure to get your joints moving!
3. Take care of your mental health!
   – Being at home all day can really cause stress as there is no separation between work and home. It is well known that mental stress can exacerbate physical stress. Always make sure to take a break and get some fresh air to break up work from being overwhelming. You can also pick up the phone and talk to someone about how you are feeling about being at home and the pandemic. You’re not alone in this!
4. Get treatments
   – We are here for you! Our team of chiropractors, physiotherapists and massage therapists are here to make sure you feel better while working at home. We can provide manual therapy and exercise rehab to get you feeling great during your work day.

Book your next appointment on our online booking page https://nwrehab.janeapp.com or give us a call at (604)875-9779 today!