My email a while back about neck pain from working at home turned out to be prophetic. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that members of The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) have been flooded by calls from patients hit with neck or back pain since working remotely. Since this is an obvious problem right now… I thought it would be good to “unpack” the idea of a standing desk a bit more.
Sitting for long periods has proven to be very detrimental to your health. Not only can it be the culprit for weight gain, chronic pain, indigestion, fatigue, and even cancer, but sitting for too long can also negatively affect your productivity. That’s why a big way to prevent neck pain, back pain, and any other discomfort sitting causes (e.g. poor circulation) is simply…
To stand!
Records reveal that Leonardo da Vinci, Winston Churchill, and Napoleon all used standing chairs at some point of their lives. Standing while working can mean your bodyweight is well supported and your spine keeps its natural curve. It also enhances circulation. All the above are outcomes your humble chiropractor (me) likes, and that your body will thank you for.
Key takeaway point: the nervous system needs variety. No need to tucker yourself out by being on your feet for 8 hours. Sit, stand, shake things up a little. Your body (and brain) will respond! If you’re not prepared to buy one, one suggestion is to use your kitchen counter or your dining table and stack books or Amazon boxes on it to wrangle yourself up a standing desk and mix up the body mechanics.
Elbows At 90-Degrees
One more posture tip: Ideally, you want your elbows to sit at a 90-degree angle; where your hands end up is where your keyboard should be. This goes for whether you’re seated or standing. Again, you can “MacGyver” the height of your laptop to find that sweet spot by stacking books or boxes, if your chair or desk isn’t adjustable. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. A little creativity is all it takes. I hope you’ll keep the above in mind as you’re hacking away at that to-do list. ;-)
And if you’d like my help with any pain or health concerns that are of an “urgent” nature, do let me know. Simply contact us and we can take it from there.
As of preparing this email, we had no clear timeline on a full clinic reopen yet. But you’re now getting a late email because we just got “the green light”. STAY TUNED for updates on our ability to resume normal hours and accommodating more people – daycare isn’t open yet… I’m signing out for today.
Hit a bit of a wall last week with busier “essential” days in the clinic, and still no Grace (sigh). This high-wire act of balancing work with a full-time parenting/home life does catch up you with at times, doesn’t it? (Especially when Baby Beverly is napping well sporadically at best – she seems to have spidey sense when I’m leaving and torments mommy with lack of good napping…or I’m just exhausted from lonnnnng days – all parents managing kids at home now have my utmost respect and deepest empathy). Two solid nights of sleep made it a LOT better. Just another reminder to be patient with yourself and practice diligent self-care.
Be well!
Dr. Josh
