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The Align Clinic Blog
​ Your Home For Orthotic and Prosthetic Knowledge

Dealing With Scoliosis - Tips for People Who Work From Home

12/17/2020

5 Comments

 
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With the ever-developing internet technology, many people have been enabled to work from home. These jobs usually include a lot of sitting in front of the computer or laptop. 
​

According to the latest statistics, over 55% of businesses worldwide offer a form of work-from-home job. This means that millions of people worldwide spend most of their day sitting in their homes. 
Although working from home can have its benefits, it has its downsides too. One of those downsides is the lack of physical activity that can cause different health issues.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

  • How sitting for a long time affects your back
  • What are the optimal work area ergonomics and sitting postures for your spine
  • What are the exercises that you can do from home to prevent serious back problems from happening

So, let’s begin...

Why Is Sitting for a Long Time Bad for Your Back?

Physical activity of any kind is crucial for both our mental and physical well-being. Staying inactive and sitting for a long time can cause different illnesses and deformities. 

The more you sit, the weaker your lower-body muscles get. Eventually, this can lead to muscle atrophy, which means that even walking would become a difficult task to perform. 

Moreover, without basic physical activities like walking, the risk of becoming overweight is higher. A fragile and inactive body is prone to bad posture, which also adds to the damage you are inflicting upon your back.

And while our body is exposed to all these changes (weak muscles, more weight, poor posture), the pillar of our entire body structure, also known as the spine, suffers the most. 

Excessive sitting can cause different problems like:

  • Stiff shoulders and neck
  • Herniated disc
  • Postural scoliosis

...and, unfortunately, this is just to name a few. 

Although it has been proven that most cases of scoliosis are idiopathic, that doesn’t mean it can’t be developed later on in life. Scoliosis in adults can also be dangerous if not treated in time. And that's why it’s best to prevent it from happening.  

Improve Your Home Office Set up

It might come as a surprise that by changing some of our habits, we can go a long way when it comes to our health. 

So, if your job requires you to sit all day, you shouldn’t instantly think about quitting. First, you need to think about your work area ergonomics and sitting posture. 

As we have already mentioned, poor posture and sitting for prolonged periods of time can cause severe back problems. But by following these simple guidelines which ensure a comfortable work area that causes little or no pressure to your spine, you can prevent these issues from occurring:

Eye-Level Test

Most people working from home use their computer or laptop. So, the position of the screen is crucial for a proper posture. 

To see if your screen is positioned correctly you need to perform the eye level test. Simply sit in your chair with your eyes closed, and find a position that’s most comfortable to you. After having settled in your chair, slowly start to open your eyes while your head is facing forward. 

You should now be looking at the center of your screen. If your screen is set any other way, try moving it up or down.

Elbow Test

To perform this test, you need to sit as close as you can to your desk. Lean your hands against the work surface while your upper arms are parallel to your spine. Elbows should be at a 90-degree angle, or if they aren’t that means that you need to move your chair up or down some more. ​

Thigh Test

Try sliding your finger under your thigh at the front part of the chair. If you can’t slide them or if it feels too tight, then that’s a sign that you need a footrest to prop your feet up. On the other hand, if the space between the thigh and the chair is more than finger width, you should raise the chair (or even desk if necessary).

Lower-Back Support

The proper way to sit in a chair while working means that your buttocks should at all times be pressed against the chair. For that position, you’ll need a form of lower back support (like a cushion) next to your lower back that will cause it to arch slightly. ​

Proper Armrest

The armrest also plays a vital role in sitting correctly. It should be adjusted so it slightly lifts the arms at the shoulders. The proper use of an armrest prevents stiff neck and shoulders, and it can also help you not to slouch. ​

Regular At-Home Workouts

Working out and staying active is of paramount importance in fighting scoliosis. There are various exercises that can help your body fight scoliosis that you can do almost anywhere, including your home.

So, if you don’t have time to hit the gym, working out at home is a perfect substitute. One of the most popular at-home exercises that can help you stretch the muscles around your spine is yoga. 

But, if you are already experiencing some back pain, or you have difficulties moving in certain directions, we highly recommend consulting with a specialist before you start doing any exercises. 

In Conclusion

Working from home and sitting can cause various health issues. Poor posture combined with a prolonged period of sitting will result in back pain and serious complications like scoliosis. 

Simple adjustments like a proper organization of your work area and regular exercise can help prevent these issues from occurring. 

If you’ve already been diagnosed with scoliosis, there are other things that might be of help like a scoliosis brace or back brace for scoliosis adults. 

Scoliosis bracing can be ideal for people who work from home since they can wear them whenever they like. 

If you are in need of any consultation with a professional orthotist, feel free to contact Align Clinic at any time. We can set up an appointment and discuss the best course of treatment for you.
5 Comments
Trish link
12/23/2020 08:12:05 pm

Without a doubt every person who works in an office, both home office or a professional building/office setting, needs to print out your article and tape it to some wall by their desk. I don't believe I've seen a better set of "Tests" to help improve posture while sitting! Thank you!
All Health Chiropractic

Reply
Dhanush Sampath link
10/17/2021 10:22:51 pm

Thanks for sharing this informative blog. Back pain at work can range from a dull ache to severe chronic pain that interferes with daily activities. Even minor back pain can have a significant impact on your ability to focus and work in a comfortable manner. Because we recognise that pain is a complicated symptom, the specialists at Neurowellness care centre will create a pain management plan specifically for you and your back pain. The NeuroWellness care specialists provide a wide range of pain treatment options, such as therapies, medications, injections, and surgeries. Our doctors can draw on a variety of disciplines to provide you with the best back pain treatment in Bangalore and prevention options. For any further informations on stenting you may visit this article : https://bit.ly/3lNJowE

Reply
Tex Hooper link
11/30/2021 06:00:26 pm

I like your ergonomics tips. I need to get more comfy furniture. I'll have to start with my chairs.

Reply
رعاية مسنين بالمنزل link
2/7/2022 03:49:26 am

Great article source to read. Thank you for sharing this.

Reply
Eve Mitchell link
2/25/2022 12:38:07 pm

Thanks for the tip about making sure all of your screens are at eye level when you work. My daughter has scoliosis and this has really helped her manage some of the pains. I'd like to take her in for physical therapy to help even more for it.

Reply



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San Mateo, California
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Photos used under Creative Commons from shixart1985, wuestenigel
  • Home
  • Locations
    • AC San Mateo, CA >
      • Inside AC SM
      • Our Practitioners >
        • Grant Wood
        • Steve Baum
        • Miguel Bustamante
      • Advanced Technology
      • Stanford Children's Health Partnership
      • Local Hotels
      • Contact Us
      • Team Members
    • AC Green Bay, WI >
      • Inside Wisconsin
      • Patient Testimonials
      • Contact Us
      • Emery Maloney
    • AC The Woodlands, TX
    • AC Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • The WCR Brace
    • Case Presentations >
      • Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis
      • Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis
      • Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
      • Switching to a WCR Brace
      • Adult Scoliosis Bracing
      • Neuromuscular Scoliosis
      • Treating Upper Thoracic Curves
    • Brace Articles
    • Patient Testimonials >
      • Grant's Testimonials
      • Paul's Testimonials
    • WCR Partner Testimonials
    • Grant's MS Thesis
    • Our Patients
    • Patients and Sports
    • Patients and Hobbies
    • Brace colors
    • Scoliosis Fashion
  • Patient Resources
    • WCR Brace Clinics >
      • USA Clinics
      • China Clinics
      • Canada Clinics
      • Australia Clinics
      • WCR Brace Clinic Finder
    • WCR Certified Practitioners
    • Professional Contacts & References
    • Forms & Insurance
    • Clinical Photos and X-rays
    • Scoliosis Rehab PT, CA
    • Blog
  • Events
    • Brace Clinic Calendar
    • Sosort 2022 - San Sebastian, Spain
    • Past Events >
      • Advancements in Conservative Treatment of Scoliosis 2018 >
        • Award for Advancements in the Conservative Treatment of Scoliosis
      • Past USA WCR Clinics and Conferences
      • Advancements in Conservative Treatment Of Scoliosis 2017
      • Shanghai Clinic
      • AAOP Meetings
      • BSPTS Schroth PT Training
    • Past SOSORT Conferences >
      • sosort2019 San Francisco - CA
      • SOSORT2018 Dubrovnik/Croatia
      • SOSORT2017 Lyon/France
      • SOSORT2016 Canada
    • Northeast Region Re-Align Clinic
  • Services
    • Scoliosis & Spine Online Learning
    • Prosthetics
    • Orthotics >
      • Pediatric Orthotics
      • Cranial Remolding Band
  • Hope's Embrace® Undershirts
  • Wall Grids
  • WCR Brace Fitting Evaluation
  • For PTs/Orthotists
  • WCR Measurement Order Form
  • Masterclass Conferences
  • Careers