Have you been suffering at all from the latest “new” epidemic of “Lockdown Back and Neck Pain”?
Here is Richard, a “survivor” of lockdown back and neck pain. Listen to his experience of coming to the clinic, post lockdown, to get this sorted out!
Since Team Reflex have been back up and running since May 4th we have, unsurprisingly, seen many people suffering from this. Lockdown Back and Neck Pain can affect anybody of any age. However, there are a number of common triggers.
- Poor Sitting Position. By far the most common presentation is due to home working at a poor desk position. If you are working at the kitchen table, or a home desk and you are only using your laptop you are in big trouble. Why? When using a laptop only it is 100% guaranteed that you will be slouched, slumped and sitting like a “sack of spuds”!
- Being Too Sedentary. Even assuming you have the worlds greatest desk set up, and you are attempting to sit like royalty, you may be in trouble. When working at home we lose the commute, or walk to work. I accept that many people have been out cycling (me included), running or walking. However, the majority of people will have been even more sedentary that normal during lockdown.
- Screen Time (when Not working). Those presenting to us with Lockdown back and neck pain have not all been professionals. This week we have cared for 6th form students who have been cramming for exams. We have seen older adults who until recently have been pretty much housebound. Today i saw a recent first time Mum who has been at home caring for her newborn. All have admitted to being sedentary, and when relaxing have been glued to their TV, tablet or smartphone!
Try Bruggers Stretch for Lockdown Back and Neck Pain
When you are sitting for work, or at any time, try this great exercise. You should set an alarm, or countdown timer, for 25 minutes. YES! Every 25 minutes you should try to microbreak and stand up, and try Brügger’s Exercise.
Why 25 minutes?……. Great question!
After as little as 20-25 minutes the ligaments in your spine start to deform, or creep. If you are slouching then you are NOT using your muscles. You are simply hanging off your ligaments. Try it… you can only go so low as you are stopped by your ligaments. These ligaments deform plastically. As they do they start to increase the load on your joints, discs and muscles. Luckily for us they can recover (unlike plastic), but only if we keep microbreaking and taking the load off them.
Ergonomic Bullet Points
- If using a laptop
- Get a full-sized keyboard and mouse
- Lift the laptop up onto books so that the screen is at eye height
- Better still, invest in a full-sized monitor
- Ensure you chair tilts forward, and your hips are higher than your knees
- Even better…. if you can… invest in a Sit-Stand Desk
If you have ANY questions about your home desk set up, please ask any of our Team Reflex chiropractors & osteopaths for advice and help with this. it really is so important.
So, if you think you have been suffering from Lockdown Back and Neck Pain, please get in touch. We are busy at the clinic, but we are nearly up to our normal opening times. We do not yet have a full team, but we are getting there. Phone for your appointment on 0118 946 2100.
