With the COVID-19 pandemic still transforming our everyday lives, many people are likely to continue working from home into next year. While this certainly comes with many benefits, the quick upheaval of everyone's working routine has undoubtedly led to issues as well. When your work from home space is not ergonomically sound, the cons of not being in the office can quickly outweigh the benefits. At Virtual PT NYC, our staff wants to help you avoid some of the common physical issues of working from home. To learn more about what these issues are, and tips on making your workspace more ergonomically friendly, please contact our staff today by clicking here.

Common Working From Home Issues  

Although eliminating a daily commute has made many people happy, working from home does not come without its issues. If your setup isn't ergonomically sound, you leave yourself open to a variety of problems. Dealing with discomfort caused by working from home can quickly have you longing for your old desk and office chair. Some of the most common issues our team is looking to help you avoid can include:

• Neck pain.
• Lower back pain.
• Limited mobility.
• Shoulder issues.
• The development of postural problems.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome.
  

Avoid Working In Bed

Our first tip for making your workspace more ergonomically friendly is to avoid working in your bed. We understand how strong the temptation to stay in bed all day while working can be for most people. However, doing so will cause you harm. You'll quickly find yourself dealing with neck and back pain if you spend 40+ hours each week in the awkward positions working in bed lends itself to creating.

Choose The Right Height

Many of us don't have access to a desk or office chair in our homes. However, that doesn't mean adjustments can't be made to our household items to mimic these pieces of equipment. It's essential to find a work area that allows your elbows to fall flat on the table that you're now using for a desk. Try placing books under your table's legs or on your chair to sit on to achieve this height.

Chair Adjustments 

Placing books on your chair is not the only way to make it more ergonomically sound. To avoid developing back pain, your chair must offer the proper lumbar support. While office chairs are built with this in mind, most dining room chairs are not. However, you don't have to spend money on a new office chair. Instead, try placing a rolled-up towel or pillow behind your lower back when sitting to allow for the support you need.     

Laptop/Monitor Placement

One final thing that our team here at Virtual PT NYC would like to describe when trying to make your home workspace more ergonomically friendly is to make sure your laptop/monitor is placed correctly on your new desk. If you spend your entire day with your neck hunched over looking at the screen, it will not be suitable for your health. Having your computer too close or far away from you will also lead to problems. By focusing on the below, you can prevent them from taking place:

• Your monitor or laptop should be at least arm's length away from you.
• When looking at the middle of the screen, your eyes should look slightly down.   
  

Contact Our Team

Seemingly overnight, millions of people needed to make drastic changes to how they went about work. If you've felt a bit overwhelmed during this transition, remember that you are not alone. At Virtual PT NYC, we know the importance of turning your home into an ergonomically friendly workspace. For more tips, or to schedule an appointment to treat any issues working from home has brought, contact our team today.