Up to 70% of people using computers may have neck, shoulder and arm pain at some time from sitting there in one position for too long at their desks. Physiotherapists treat many patients with this kind of neck pain.
Workers spend long periods in the typical position: sitting forward, upper spine slumped, shoulders forward, chin poking, neck arched to see the screen, arm reaching forward. Maintaining this posture for any length of time stresses the tissues in those areas where the postural forces concentrate, causing aches with time and pains later.
Solutions include using ergonomic principles to position the equipment and the person in the best relationship to allow reasonable periods of computer use without problems. The worker also needs to take planned breaks before they start to have problems and to maintain good posture.
Physiotherapy advice and treatment can identify the postural and tissue problems caused by the work situation and correct them with exercises, manipulation and postural advice.
To see how ergonomics can ease a pain in the neck see Ergonomics in the News. |
