You might think that your office job is the safest occupation that exists, and there’s little chance you’ll suffer from a work-related injury. However, the inactivity and lack of movement caused by sitting at a desk all day can result in serious health conditions — particularly related to your back.
You may be experiencing neck or back pain in your office job already, or you might know of a coworker who does. Either way, here are some useful back injury prevention tips:
— Use an ergonomic chair, keyboard wrist rests, and a trackball to help your body stay in a neutral position that will help prevent back- and neck-related stresses.
— Keep your computer at eye level to prevent neck strain.
— Position your knees, elbows and hips at 90-degree angles to keep them in the best alignment.
— Hold documents up at eye level with a document holder to prevent strain.
— Take breaks on a regular basis so that you’re getting up, stretching and walking around.
— Do back, wrist and shoulder stretches throughout the day to keep your body moving.
— Keep your feet flat on the floor by adjusting your chair if necessary.
— Make sure your chair has lower back, lumbar support.
— Never cradle the telephone between your shoulder and neck as it causes neck strain and spinal misalignments.
— Exercise every day.
If you still suffer from an office-related back injury even though you’ve done all the above, you might want to learn more about your legal rights in the context of California workers’ compensation law. In many cases, office workers with back injuries can receive financial compensation to pay for their medical care.
