STAY MOBILE WHILE WORKING Over the past few years, most of us have had to adjust to working in a very different environment than we’re used to: our homes. Sitting in chairs at desks that may not be ergonomically designed for comfort and spine health can drastically change the way our bodies feel. Over time, you may have noticed that your back hurts more often or you have a hard time sitting up straight. This is because you’re getting less physical activity in than you probably did at your corporate office! The good news is that there are several ways you can improve mobility while working from your home. For starters, try to get up and move around every 30 minutes or so to get your blood flowing and keep your joints from becoming stiff and painful. You can also keep fitness equipment in your office or around your work area to remind yourself to get some physical activity in. Items such as small hand weights, jump ropes, or yoga mats are all easily stored and simple to use. Spreading your mat out by your desk can remind you to stretch daily and prevent muscle tension and backache. Try to avoid sitting for periods longer than 30 minutes. Get up in between meetings, stretch your legs, take the dog for a walk, do a handful of jumping jacks or situps. THE BEST SLEEP POSITIONS How are you sleeping at night? Sleep is the body’s uninterrupted time to repair tissue damage, heal wounds, restore organ function, stabilize chemical imbalance, refresh areas of the brain that control mood and behavior, and improve performance. Restful sleep– and a proper sleeping position– is a critical part of maintaining good health. It’s critical that we learn to sleep in the best position for proper spinal alignment. The better shape our spine is in, the lower our chances of developing neck pain or shoulder pain become. The better our spinal alignment is, the better our overall posture will be during the day.
Avoid craning your neck too far up or down to look at computer screens as well, so you don’t develop neck pain! A good way to combat this issue is by purchasing a riser for your monitor, so that it can sit at eye level. If you work from home and wait until your body hurts to seek physical therapy, you’ve already waited too long. The good news is our therapists can help you improve your posture and relieve neck, back, knee, hip, and other types of pain caused by prolonged sitting and a lack of exercise.
ARE YOU A STOMACH SLEEPER?
Sleeping on your stomach can cause stress on the back because the spine can be thrown out of position. To avoid this, place a flat pillow under your stomach and pelvis area. This will keep your spine in better alignment, as will sleeping with a flat pillow under your head or without a pillow at all.
OR ARE YOU A SIDE SLEEPER?
This is the most commonly used sleep position. It is vital to have good neck support for all side sleepers. The thickness of the neck pillow may create muscle spasms and strain on either one or the other side of the neck, which may cause pain and headache. Roll up a soft towel and put it under a thin pillow on your preferred sleeping side to support your neck in a good alignment.
DO YOU SLEEP ON YOUR BACK?
If so, placing a small pillow under your knees can help to reduce stress and strain on your spine and support the curve in your lower back. The pillow your head is resting on should support your head and the angle of your neck and shoulders.
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