The pandemic has brought upon many changes in life to everyone. In Singapore, working from home has been the norm as part of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 among the community. However, though working from home allows for the flexibility of time management, most end up working longer hours as the line between work and personal time gets blurred.
Unlike working in the office, many at home lack a proper workstation and tend to get overly cosy within the comfort of their beds or at their dinner table. However, slouching over and getting too comfortable in improper workstations has detrimental effects on the spine and posture. The habit of constantly looking downwards at personal gadgets after waking up, while having meals, and even before hitting the sack are making things worse!
But why is it so important to take care of the posture? Dr Matt Kan, Senior Consultant and CEO of Chiropractic First tackles some interesting and commonly asked questions.
1. I do yoga regularly, which helps to keep my body feeling balanced and aligned. Shouldn't that be enough?
Yoga poses like a downward-facing dog may help relieve a headache, while stretching the neck from side to side can improve your flexibility and reduce the pain. However, be cautioned that without professional supervision, stretching or yoga may aggravate existing problems if it's done incorrectly or too forcefully.
2. What about Thai massages? I feel relieved after they help to crack my back too!
Of course, a massage is supposed to be relaxing! But isn’t the effect only temporary? The neck pain or lower back pain caused by the stressors of working from home will still come back to haunt you if the root cause of the problem is not being addressed. In fact, the root cause usually comes from one place - the spine.
3. I use an expensive standing desk and ergonomic chair that should help with my posture!
Despite investing thousands of dollars in ergonomic furniture, improper furniture setup, even if the furniture itself is of a high quality, still causes people to continue to hunch and experience back aches. This is natural when the desktop monitor is set below eye level - even while standing. To solve this, ensure the desk and chair are correctly adjusted - set the monitor above eye level and elevate the laptop with an extender to encourage sitting up tall. To reduce tension in the shoulders and to keep them relaxed, try placing the keyboard and mouse on one’s lap when seated. Correct the heights of the table and chair to prevent legs from dangling and to relieve the shoulders from tension.
4. Those viral ‘popping’ and ‘cracking’ TikTok videos are really satisfying to watch but how can chiropractic care REALLY help my back?
Working from home may be uncomfortable if one suffers from chronic pain. Without ergonomic office setups or access to a physical therapist, the body may begin to ache and worsen in condition. Regular chiropractic adjustments will help reduce stress on the vertebrae while realigning the spine helps with reducing compression on the nerves. Not only that, it will help in improving sleep quality, leading to better concentration, mood and performance the next day! Most importantly, remember to stretch and move every hour!
Instead of tolerating headaches, neck pain, or lower back pain caused by the stress of working from home, take a more proactive step by addressing these symptoms with chiropractic care, alleviating the pain and symptoms with a drug-free approach. With more than 20 years of experience, Chiropractic First has a team of internationally-trained chiropractors that ensures each patient receives customised and personalised treatments.
They are trained to resolve or reverse the problem, naturally supporting one’s development of the spine by restoring the function of the nervous system and strengthening the immune system. For more information on how chiropractic care can help with overall health, please visit here
