Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç said, “The disappearance of the concept of working hours and an unsuitable working environment on a laptop or desktop computer for a long time invites orthopedic disorders.”
Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç said that the most important reason for this is that the home environment is not suitable for work ergonomics. Pointing out that different reasons such as working sedentary and non-stop for a long time, not exercising and an unsuitable working environment are effective in the development of the problems, he continued as follows: “Many people have to work in the kitchen of their home, in the living room, and in unsuitable chairs. Moreover, if the working time is prolonged and working without a break, waist, neck, shoulder and back pains are inevitable. For this reason, we see an increase in complaints.”
KNEE COMPUTERS EFFECTIVE FOR NECK PAIN
Especially in laptop computers, working with the head tilted forward for a long time increases the pressure of the head on the neck muscles by 4 times. Saying that this causes an increase in back and neck pain, Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç continued his words as follows: “The screen that is not at eye level disrupts the upright sitting, but it increases the load especially in the waist area. For this reason, personal measures to be taken to prevent possible orthopedic disorders will be very beneficial.”
PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN WHEN WORKING WILL REMOVE THE PAIN
Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç made the following suggestions:
- Make sure your computer screen is at eye level. For this, try to prevent your head from leaning forward by placing a riser like a book under your laptop or desktop computer.
- Unfortunately, the chairs we use at home are not suitable for sitting and working for a long time. Therefore, make sure that your office chair is an ergonomic office chair. If possible, bring your office chair to your home.
- Take small breaks every hour while working at home. Make the muscles move by taking a few steps around the house under the pretext of going to the toilet or drinking water.
- Try to do stretching exercises, especially for the waist, back and leg muscles during the small breaks you take.
- During the exercise, make sure that your knees are at a 90-degree angle with the hip joint and your spine is perpendicular to the ground with your legs parallel to the ground.
- If you have a lot of back and low back pain, use a back support with your office chair.
- During the day, try to exercise in a way that is suitable for your body type in order to strengthen your muscles. For this, especially online programs can be used.
INACTION CAUSES JOINT PAINS
“Another study shows that 35 percent of those working from home complain of inactivity,” said Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç said that the employees also complained about the increase in joint and low back pain due to not being able to move enough.
Stating that inactivity due to working from home causes muscle loss and this causes an increase in pain, Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç said, “The most suitable exercises to be done at home are pilates and yoga-style exercises. Especially during Tabata and HITT exercises, which include intense cardio for weight loss, care should be taken and overloading should be avoided as much as your body allows. He listed the things to be considered in order to avoid possible injuries during home exercises:
- Be sure to do exercises that are suitable for your body type.
- Before the exercise, take care to avoid possible muscle cramps and damage by stretching and stretching the muscle length.
- If your knees are sore when squatting, avoid exercises like squat lounges.
- Do not do the exercises for longer than an hour. 45 minutes of exercise at home will suffice.
- During cardio-heavy exercises that involve jumping, where you have to stay on your feet for a long time, be sure to wear shoes to protect yourself from discomforts such as tendonitis and edema that may develop on and around the sole of the foot.
- If there is pain or swelling in the joints during or after the exercise, stop the exercise immediately and put ice on the painful area. If your complaints persist, consult a specialist.
LONG-TERM MAUSE USE CAN CREATE NERVOUS COMPRESSION
Yeditepe University Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Gökhan Meriç completed his words as follows:
“Due to the long-term pressure of the nerves at the wrist level, numbness in the fingers and nerve compression leading to pain may occur. In order to avoid this situation, hourly breaks should be given, stretching exercises should be done, mousepad and laptop wrist protector sponges should reduce the pressure in this area. If the complaints increase and the hand numbness continues, a specialist should be consulted.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
