Think of how much time people spend at the computer. Every day, thousands of Americans can easily spend the majority of their day in front of a computer screen between work, email, social media, and surfing the internet. Back and neck pain are both incredibly common among the population today. Might there be a connection between back and neck pain and computer use? Paincare of San Diego sees many individuals seeking chiropractic care in San Diego for back and neck pain caused by computer use. How exactly does the computer cause pain?
Computer Posture
The human body is made to move. When it rests in any position for too long, many negative changes start to take place. For example, when an individual sits for a long time in front of a computer, certain muscles are stretched and become weak. Other muscles are shortened and they get tight. Both of these are big problems not only for while the person sits, but when they get up and try to move, too.
The body requires a certain amount of strength and flexibility to accomplish its daily tasks. This will happen even if the person sits with ideal posture. If instead the sitting position is a slumped posture like many people fall into, it causes even more extreme and unnatural problems. For example, it increases the pressure and stress to the structures in your spine. This, combined with weakness and stiffness, can easily lead to neck and back pain.
Sometimes, an individual may have a medical condition that causes neck or back pain. A prolonged sitting posture can make that worse or create pain all by itself. The best way to combat pain from a poor computer sitting posture is to change positions frequently throughout the day. Every 30 minutes, it’s important to take a break. Get up and take a lap around the building to give your body, eyes, and mind a rest. At home, it’s important to exercise regularly to combat the effects of sitting all day. Physical therapy or
chiropractic care in San Diego can also help strengthen and improve posture.