No Gain With Office Pain

Aches and pains are common complaints for many office dwellers. Sore eyes, lower back and neck pain, wrist tenderness, and tingling thumbs are often a result of the repetitive activities we do daily to accomplish work-related tasks. Avoid office pain with some tips below.

Orthopedic Associates of Port Huron hand surgeon Steven J. Heithoff, D.O., F.A.O.A.O., says, “The musculoskeletal system of your body is made up of bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your body as you move. So it’s no surprise that this system feels the most stress from your daily office duties.” The following are some musculoskeletal complaints of office pains:

Bursitis–Inflammation and pain around joints, tendons, and ligaments
Carpal tunnel syndrome–Numbness and pain in the wrists, hands, and fingers
Muscle strains–Injury to a muscle
Tendonitis–Inflammation of tendons near the point where they attach to the bone
Tennis elbow–Irritation of the tendons in the forearm muscles

According to Dr. Heithoff, simple adjustments to your work environment may help avoid experiencing such limitations. Adjusting your chair and desk to your height specifications will help to reduce back, hip, and knee pain. Remembering to keep your computer screen at eye level will help to eliminate neck pain. Additionally, maintaining focus on your arms and wrist position while typing will help reduce the stress on your wrists.

Typical warning signs that may indicate a bigger problem include numbness, tingling, or soreness, as well as frequently dropping things such as paper or cups. Orthopedic Associates of Port Huron has an expert orthopedic staff available to assess and treat any work-related injury. To find out if your office pain is something more serious, call (810) 985-4900 for an appointment or schedule an appointment online.