Watch your back whilst working from home
Implement ways to improve posture and prevent a pain in the neck (and back!)
Text: Rachel L
As most of us are in WFH mode we are no longer confined to the usual office setup. And for some, the opportunity to spend the working hours reclining on the couch is too good to pass up. However, while there’s nothing wrong with being comfortable, the consequences of bad posture are something to consider before you decide between a proper desk and your bed. Back pain or aches in any other area of your body are painful to deal with in the midst of coping with everything else the pandemic is throwing at us. We speak to Dr Matt Kan, Founder, Senior Consultant and CEO of Chiropractic First Group of Clinics, on how to maintain a good posture as well as soothe back aches and pains.
Adjust your laptop height
Investing in standing desks or ergonomic chairs are definitely great options to help prevent a badly shaped spine or a stiff neck. However, certain adjustments need to be made to use them to their full potential such as having your work device above eye level. If you’re using a laptop while seated, alleviating it with an extender effectively ensures that you naturally sit up straight. Other tricks include correcting the heights of your chair and desk to make sure your legs aren’t dangling which relieves the tension in your shoulders.
Yoga and Thai Massage can help
Yoga stretching exercises can help to increase flexibility and help alleviate pain. Certain poses — such as the downward-facing-dog — are also a good way to relieve headaches. However, the many benefits of yoga can only be reaped if the exercises are carried out with the proper form or technique, says Dr Kan. Ensure you are exercising with professional supervision, even if it’s via zoom. When yoga is done incorrectly or too forcefully, it can aggravate existing problems and possibly result in further injury.
As well as providing relaxation at the end of a long day, Thai massage can help loosen muscles and unravel neck kinks. Unfortunately, the relief that massages bring to tough aches and pains is only temporary. The aches you might feel in different parts of your body are likely to come from a single root cause — bad posture which can lead to damage of the spine, the root problem behind the discomfort you are experiencing.
Chiropractic Care
For those dealing with chronic pain, the lack of ergonomic office setups and access to a physical therapist might cause the pain to increase. Regular chiropractic adjustments help reduce the stresses on the vertebrae as realigning the spine helps with reducing compression on the nerves. It will also help in improving sleep quality without tossing and turning throughout the night with chronic pain.
About Dr Matt Kan
Dr Matt Kan is the Founder, Senior Consultant and CEO of Chiropractic First Group of Clinics. He graduated from the world-renowned Palmer College of Chiropractic, USA with a Doctor of Chiropractic with Honours Summa Cum Laude (Valedictorian). Dr Kan’s postgraduate works involved specialisation in Sports Injuries, Applied and Clinical Kinesiology, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Myofascial Tonnus Releases Therapy, Upper Cervical Specifics, Physiotherapy and Advanced Acupuncture. Among his patients are cabinet ministers, royal families from different parts of the world, international sports professionals and movie celebrities.
