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Back pain through office work? The most important tips for avoiding
More and more people suffer from chronic back and neck pain. Not only people in physically demanding occupations are affected, but also many office workers suffer regularly from tensions and pain due to constant sitting and bad posture at the desk. However, even a few small changes can help relieve the symptoms. In an interview with the news agency "dpa", experts give tips on how to make the workplace meaningful.
Working hours are mostly spent sitting down
Most workers today spend much of their working life sitting down. Instead of moving and standing more often, many remain in the same position for hours, looking at the PC screen, unaware of how they get into a cramped and unnatural posture. This often has far-reaching consequences, because more and more office workers are affected by musculoskeletal disorders, which now account for just under a quarter of all days off work, according to the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (baua).
The monotonous movements and stress in the office often cause back problems. (Image: pongsuwan / fotolia) Accordingly, 40 percent of men and 64 percent of women suffer from neck pain, every second has regular back pain. But these complaints do not have to be, instead, some things can be done to spend the day working healthy and without pain. Above all, movement is important. Here it can be helpful to get up from the desk and walk around a bit, with simple gym exercises providing effective support.
Lasting look upwards damages the spine and neck muscles
Another elementary area is the design of the workplace, because here happen just for convenience often small "mistakes" that can quickly lead to health problems. To avoid this, for example, the monitor should be positioned so that the employee can look down on this, explains Professor Karsten Kluth to the "dpa". This makes sense, as the eyes would automatically look slightly relaxed in the relaxed state, so the expert in ergonomics and Ergonomics at the University of Siegen on. "So the screen should be as deep as possible. Then the worst problems are gone ". The same applies to protect the neck, because "to look up permanently, however, is the hell for the spine and for the neck muscles anyway," said Professor Kluth.
For permanent use of a laptop, better connect an extra keyboard
Instead of a stationary PC, more and more people nowadays use laptops permanently, even if e.g. constantly switching between office and home office. However, according to the experts, the work on the mobile computer is only limitedly recommended from an ergonomic point of view and should therefore be limited to short-term use on the way. "As a permanent workstation, a laptop is not suitable, because you can not adjust screen and keyboard independently," said the head of the prevention field office at the statutory accident insurance VBG, Andreas Stephan. Accordingly, a longer keyboard would be better to connect an additional keyboard.
Regardless of whether stationary or mobile, Karsten Kluth generally recommends an ergonomic keyboard that avoids kinking of the wrists to the outside through a split keypad. In addition, this helps a palm rest and in part an additional falling back keypad that the wrists do not bend upwards. "I can only recommend this keyboard to anyone. After a settling time of two to three days you have a completely natural hand posture, "explains Kluth. To counteract bad postures, the keyboard should also remain flat. "You should not use the small levers for tilting, otherwise you have to bend your wrists too much while writing," adds Andreas Stephan. A good addition is a so-called "Rollermouse", in which the mouse pointer is moved over a staff and an underlying small keypad. However, according to Kluth, a standard mouse could also be used, but in a study by the University of Siegen, the so-called "Ergomaus" did not fare as well.
The "certified safety" seal of approval can offer customers helpful orientation
Since we sit for hours on our office chair every day, it is essential to pay attention to high quality and a high degree of "back-friendliness". According to Andreas Stephan, a swivel chair is "the measure of all things", whereby on the one hand the height and also the armrests should be adjusted. In addition, there are variants that are changeable in the seat depth. An exercise ball as a permanent seat in the office, according to the experts, however, not advisable, because "they need a backrest. Otherwise you will be crooked in the back and tense. "
Application for grant for orthopedic chair at the German pension insurance
If you would like to acquire a high-quality, ergonomic swivel chair for yourself at home, you should definitely try different models on the recommendation of Stephan. A good orientation aid in the selection could offer the so-called "GS mark", which certifies the customer a "tested safety". On the other hand, people who are already suffering from back problems need a so-called "orthopedic chair", which is specially designed to support a correct posture and to relieve the spine and back muscles. For this, if necessary, a grant (up to € 435) can be applied for from the German Pension Insurance, whereby the medical necessity must be attested by a doctor. In general, such a special chair is not only recommended for back pain. Instead, it may also be used in a number of other indications, e.g. Bechterew's disease, degenerative disc disease, lumbalgias or a hollow back.
Also note colors of the desk surface and lighting conditions
The lighting conditions are also an important factor in terms of the well-being and health of the employees. Accordingly, the desktop surface should be as bright as possible and e.g. made of woods such as birch and maple. However, if this is very dark, the contrast to the paper is the stronger, which in turn means an increased effort for the eyes, explains Kluth. In this context, a white keyboard with black writing is more useful than the popular reverse variant. "On a black keyboard, the finger sweat does not show up that way. That's why she likes to be taken, "continues the expert. But this leads faster to the fatigue of the eyes.
In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the light does not dazzle or reflect when working on the PC. Nevertheless, according to Andreas Stephan, the natural brightness can not be completely dispensed with, because "we also need daylight for our biorhythm. If you do not have side light in the workplace, you should only partially shade windows. "For artificial light, at least 500 lux are recommended, whereby it should be noted with LED lamps that they are frosted and do not cast shadows. (No)