If you’re reading this, then you may be one of the millions of Americans affected by or dealing with back and neck pain from sitting at your work station. It costs employers and the healthcare system billions of dollars, treating symptoms.
According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
“In 2004, the estimated annual direct cost of treating back pain was $193.9 billion. Between 1996 and 2004, the cost of spine conditions, in 2004 dollars, increased by 49 percent. The largest share of increase was related to prescription medications. In addition, annual indirect costs for lost wages resulting from back pain were estimated to add another $22.4 billion to this cost.”
Addressing back and neck pain can seem like an never ending battle, with symptoms jumping from one area to the next, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Poor sitting postures has been linked to the development of neck, back and shoulder pain. Ask yourself these questions as you’re reading this,
‘where is my head positioned? is it against my head rest or is it forward?’ Do I get “burning” sensation between my shoulder blades after being at my desk for a period of time?
I’m not implying that just having poor sitting posture alone means you’ll have pain, however what we do know is that your risk for developing areas of pain are much higher than those with good postural awareness. Reduce your risk of pain with these routines that can be performed at your office work-station or a wall. Below are exercises and stretches you can perform. If your symptoms don’t improve, get Physical Therapy. We can help you identify areas of weakness and correct your posture, significantly reducing your chances to develop or continuing to experience pain.
spine and shoulder stability
Levator Scap. Muscle Stretch
Seated Upper Trap. Stretch
Perform these for 1-2 minutes/ 3-4x/day.