Is Remote Working Hurting Your Body?
By Sabrina Ruggles, Talent Acquisition Manager
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have been doing more work from home. While there are many benefits to working remotely, a downside is the impact it can have on us physically.
A November 2021 Forbes article on the physical impacts of working remotely states: “The average remote worker commutes just 16 steps from their bed to their workstation.” As a result of this reduced mobility many people are experiencing increased pain.
Martha Theirl, Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Q4 Physical Therapy, comments that she has seen “an uptick in shoulder, neck, and arm pain along with more headaches.” Theirl, who is Level 1-certified in SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment), a clinical movement assessment approach that helps find both the cause and remedy for pain, says her patients state they are feeling “stiffer than normal due to all the extra sitting.”
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives. For many of us we were commuting to our kitchen table or bedroom to work. Instead of walking to the train station, going down to the breakroom or café for a coffee, or getting up from our desks to attend meetings, we were literally sitting in rooms all day. Life became so very important—but small.
Today the secret is out. Employees can be productive, perhaps more productive, from home. Many companies are saying yes to remote work permanently and getting rid of overhead costs on office buildings.
Now more than ever it is important for employees to take measures to protect their physical well-being while working.
Fortunately, there are easy things you can do to keep your body feeling great all day:
Set up your workstation correctly. Your legs should be at 90 degrees and your feet should touch the floor. Raise your screen to eye level. I bought an inexpensive monitor riser, and my neck pain went away within days. See graphic below on how to set up your workstation.
Get up! In addition to creating an ergonomically friendly workstation, it is vital to get up and take breaks. Go get the mail, make a cup of tea, take calls on your headset and walk. Invest in a standing desk. Theirl recommends taking a “movement snack”—a short movement break to replenish your body and mind—every 2 hours or so, where you get up, mobilize your joints, and have some nonscreen time for 10 to 15 minutes. This can also help to improve your attention to tasks.
Make time to stretch. When we sit all day we experience stiffness, discomfort, and fatigue. Research shows that sitting invites our muscles to shorten and atrophy after a period of time, which is why it is so vital to counteract this tendency by stretching and lengthening. I included a link below with some easy stretches to incorporate during the day. You can stretch while sitting, but I try to step away from my desk to stretch and build in a movement break.
Working remotely seems to be here to stay for many of us. There are many things we can’t control during the day, but our physical well-being is something we can. A few simple changes can make a significant difference in being comfortable and productive throughout the day.
Now, please excuse me, as I must get up and take my break.
Related articles:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/remote-work-health-risks-5080056
https://optimalsportspt.com/7-easy-stretches-to-counteract-sitting-all-day/
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/the-dangers-of-sitting