Living and working in this century will have seen us spending more and more time sitting at the computer, whether it is part of our work, studying or even leisure time. An unfortunate consequence of spending long periods of time doing this is that it can cause pain in a number of areas including the neck, shoulders, arms and lower back.
Sitting at a desk for long periods means it is often difficult to maintain good posture for long periods of time. Many people will have a tendency to lean forward or slouch their shoulders which will put unnecessary stress on the spine leading to pain and fatigue. Repetitive movements such as typing /filing can also contribute to pain by placing your body in awkward positions and increasing the risk of muscle strain.

Simple tips how we can avoid this situation developing and causing pain.

• Get up every 20 minutes, stretch and walk around
• Specific stretches to the neck, chest, shoulders and mid and lower back.
• Strengthening exercises to improve the strength of the deep neck muscles, shoulder blade muscles and the deep abdominals that stabilise the lower back.
• Ergonomic assessment. The set up of your desk will have a big influence on the stresses and strains on your muscles and joints. A few adjustments could make a huge difference to your pain and also prevent future problems developing, for example adjusting your computer screen height. Many workplaces offer these assessments. Your physiotherapist will be able to advice you on simple adjustments or even visit your workplace to perform an assessment.

Already have pain from sitting at your desk?

If you are in the unfortunate situation of already having pain it is recommended that you address all the above steps immediately. It is also advised that you take some painkillers and/or anti-inflammatory medication. Consider using heat packs to soothe tightness and soreness in muscles. Most importantly, physiotherapy or your preferred form of musculoskeletal treatment should be sought. Everyone is different, so a physiotherapist will be able to specifically assess your painful area and look at the causes of your pain. Following this he /she will be able to advise what you can do yourself. This may include specific stretches and strengthening exercises, adjustments to your desk and correction of your posture.

The physiotherapist will also provide you with some hands on treatment which may include soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation and dry needling to help settle the pain. Early intervention is the key to ensuring your pain is managed effectively and will normally mean less physiotherapy treatment is required.