Working from home has created a whole new experience in the lives of the ones who have never done so before this lockdown. To some its the most relaxed version of work while to others, it’s pesky and less productive. And while we do so, not all of us were well-prepared for it. The main difference between working from home and working in an office is the environment. An office is required to have comfortable desks and chairs, substantial break times, and a specified time limit for working every day. On the contrary, as we work from home, most of us do not have the proper desk and chair set up, we tend to take intermittent breaks, and we’re working much longer hours close to our laptop screens.

Naturally, this change in our working style has caused some new health problems which are gradually affecting our lives. And if they aren’t addressed and dealt with in time, they may damage our health even after the lockdown. The most common of such problems reported lately include

Neck, shoulder, and back pain:

When we sit on a bed or a couch in a slouched posture, the muscles around your neck and spine are over-stretched. Additionally, most of us lean forward while writing, which adds to the pressure on the lumbar region.

Also, as the laptop screen is always lower when placed on your lap, it stretches your neck muscles and holds them in that position.

Staying in such postures for a prolonged period will cause the neck, back, and shoulder muscles to over-strain and cause severe pain.

Eye Problems:

All our computer screens emit a specific wavelength of light known as the blue light, which is extremely harsh on the eye. When exposed for too long, this blue light penetrates deep into the eyes and creates a glaring effect, which results in irritation and strain.

When we’re too focused on the screen, our minds enter a semi-hypnotic state, which causes our eyes to blink less frequently. This makes them dry, itchy, painful, and causes burning sensations over the surface.These are just a few of the eye problems caused by prolonged exposure to screens, collectively known as ‘Computer Vision Syndrome.’

Hip Stiffness:

Practically, to keep your hip flexor muscles relaxed, your back needs to be reclined at least 15 degrees. However, most of us think sitting upright like a pole does the trick, while others curve our backs like we’re 100 years old.Ultimately, unless we sit reclined and take frequent breaks, the hip flexors are stretched out and become severely stiff and painful when we get up.

Leg Cramps:

Sitting for prolonged periods also laxes the blood supple down the legs. Moreover, if you tend to sit with your legs elevated or completely folded, your legs drain out blood pretty quickly.With reduced blood supply, your leg muscles are sure to get cramped and tingly, make it difficult to walk later.

Wrist Pain:

As you go on typing throughout the day, your wrist remains pressed against the laptop or desk. The tendons passing through the carpal tunnel structure of your wrist also get inflamed.This external pressure and inflammation cause the median nerve to contract and develop a painful condition called the ‘carpal tunnel syndrome.’

Of all these problems, the back and neck pain issues are known to aggravate rapidly and cause permanent damage to the nerves and bones of the back. If you’ve been experiencing such problems lately while working from home, we recommend you contact and get online consultation for Dr. Akhil Tawari. He is the most adept and regarded spine specialist in western suburbs of Mumbai who is known to provide the best back and neck pain treatment online and offline. You can visit Dr. Tawari’s website to book your appointment today!