Your posture when working from home is important. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, many employees have been asked to work from home. This measure has been adopted in order to maintain the safety and health of all the employees. In the initial days people were finding it difficult to adjust, but now these changes have become an integral part of daily life. However, while working from home, people have begun noticing problems arising due to their home office set up. 

As not every house has a proper office setup, some people tend to use their kitchen table, sofa, or bed to work. These spaces are not ideal to maintain proper body posture and can lead to back and neck pain.

Back and neck pain arises due to strain on the spine and surrounding muscles that can be caused by sitting with bad posture and working in these positions for long hours. 

So how can you improve body posture while working from home?

Here are some tips that you can employ in your daily routine that will help ensure your body posture is well-maintained.

#1 Set Up An Office Desk For Your Work:

It has already been 7 to 8 months since the coronavirus outbreak, and working from home may continue to be the new normal. If you are one of the many who have started working from home, it is ideal to set up a desk and a proper chair where you can comfortably sit and work. 

Here are some important suggestions:

1. For office work, avoid sitting on the couch or the bed with your laptop. 
2. Use of a comfortable upright chair that will help you maintain good body posture. 
3. Use a small pillow, or even a rolled up towel, behind your lower back while seated. This will act as lumbar support.
4. While sitting, your head must be properly aligned to the shoulders and hips.  This is referred to as a neutral spine.  Avoid pushing your chin forward to look at the computer screen, or book in front of you.
5. Your forearms should maintain as close a 90 degree angle from the elbow as possible while using a desktop computer or laptop.
6. Your feet should be completely resting on the floor. If that chair is not adjustable, make use of a footstool. 
7. Do not lean on the arm rests of the chair.
8. The knees should be at the same height as that of your hips.
9. There should be an arm’s distance between your eyes and any screen. 
10. Make use of a hands-free device for long phone calls to avoid straining your neck.
11. Bring your keyboard closer to you to avoid excessive reach at the elbow.

#2 You Must Take Regular Breaks From Work:

It is essential to take a break to avoid long hours of sitting. While taking small breaks you can do stretching exercises, meditation, or take a walk. This will help decrease stiffness of the muscles and can also elevate your mood. You may even observe that your work productivity will increase and you are able to concentrate with more ease. 

While taking a break, you can also eat some healthy snacks which will help provide you energy throughout the day.  

#3 Always Stay Hydrated:

When focussed on work, people often forget to drink enough water.  Set a reminder for yourself to take small breaks and drink water. When you keep yourself hydrated, you will feel fresh and revitalized throughout the day. 

What If You Are Already Having Back And Neck Pain?

If you are suffering from musculoskeletal pain, it may be valuable to consult a professional, qualified physiotherapist or chiropractor. They can help you to get rid of the pain by using different manual therapy techniques and reducing pain and inflammation. They will also be able to suggest some exercises to strengthen these areas and stretches to alleviate some pain. Furthermore, they can give you some tips that will help you maintain a healthy posture. 

Summary: 

It is important to focus on these tips while working from home. Taking small breaks, performing exercises, and eating a healthy diet is quite essential in leading a healthy lifestyle. Physiotherapy is highly beneficial in providing treatment for back and neck pain that may be caused by bad posture. A licensed physiotherapist has a complete understanding of musculoskeletal pain, which if not treated can make life difficult.