San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:
Simple movements or normal activities like sitting at a desk or talking on the phone can lead to neck pain when done with poor posture or ergonomics. Years of poor posture at your workstation can lead to chronic neck pain and headaches. Chronic means the pain persists for over 90 days.
The most common form of poor posture at the workstation is Forward Head Posture (FHP) and rounded back...the position you are most likely in right now as you read this article.
Just like the branches of trees at the ocean conform to the direction of the onshore breeze...our bodies conform and adapt to our work environment, and there is a natural force that pulls our eyeballs to the computer screen bringing our upper back and skull with it.
Forward Head Posture causes the muscles that support the neck (cervical spine) to work much harder than they should...especially the posterior cervical muscles. The tight muscles pull on the back of the skull and cause neck pain and headaches.
And this is just one of the various chain reactions that can result in headaches from poor posture at the workstation.
So what is the solution?
Well...a good ergonomic set-up at your workstation, along with a decent ergonomic chair is a good place to start.
Here are a few workstation set-up and ergonomic basics:
- Computer monitor directly in front of you at eye level.
- Chair height adjusted so knees are parallel with the floor.
- Arm rests adjusted so arms are parallel with your knees.
- Desk height or keyboard should be parallel with your arms.
- Take 2-3 ninute micro-breaks (and stretch) every 20-25 minutes.
- Take a 20-40 minute break every 4 hours and walk around and stretch.
- Tilt your chair slightly backwards when you work (takes stress off lumbar discs).
- Use the swivel in your chair to turn...not your muscles.
Here's the deal...All of the above is well and good...but if you are having acute or chronic headaches and have developed Forward Head Posture...chances are you need some treatment from a chiropractor or physical therapist. Choose a doctor that specializes is posture correction.
There are all sorts of long term negatives if FHP is allowed to persist. Once your skull gets too far out in front of your body and gravity gains the upper hand (you will never win that battle), FHP can be hard to correct or even manage.
If when you stand sideways your ears do not align over your shoulders...you may have FHP and should be checked. If you have neck pain or headaches that persist you should be checked. Just make sure you are checked by a doctor that treats posture related headaches and neck pain on a routine basis...this is not a job for the emergency room doctor or general physician.
Anyway...poor posture at the workstation is a primary cause of neck pain and headaches and can become chronic and severe if not treated properly. A good chiropractor makes a whole lot of sense here!
Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco.
Executive Express Chiropractic on facebook
Eben Davis on Twitter
San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:
The most common form of poor posture at the workstation is Forward Head Posture (FHP) and rounded back...the position you are most likely in right now as you read this article.
Just like the branches of trees at the ocean conform to the direction of the onshore breeze...our bodies conform and adapt to our work environment, and there is a natural force that pulls our eyeballs to the computer screen bringing our upper back and skull with it.
Forward Head Posture causes the muscles that support the neck (cervical spine) to work much harder than they should...especially the posterior cervical muscles. The tight muscles pull on the back of the skull and cause neck pain and headaches.
So what is the solution?
Well...a good ergonomic set-up at your workstation, along with a decent ergonomic chair is a good place to start.
Here are a few workstation set-up and ergonomic basics:
Here's the deal...All of the above is well and good...but if you are having acute or chronic headaches and have developed Forward Head Posture...chances are you need some treatment from a chiropractor or physical therapist. Choose a doctor that specializes is posture correction.
There are all sorts of long term negatives if FHP is allowed to persist. Once your skull gets too far out in front of your body and gravity gains the upper hand (you will never win that battle), FHP can be hard to correct or even manage.
If when you stand sideways your ears do not align over your shoulders...you may have FHP and should be checked. If you have neck pain or headaches that persist you should be checked. Just make sure you are checked by a doctor that treats posture related headaches and neck pain on a routine basis...this is not a job for the emergency room doctor or general physician.
Anyway...poor posture at the workstation is a primary cause of neck pain and headaches and can become chronic and severe if not treated properly. A good chiropractor makes a whole lot of sense here!
Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco.
Executive Express Chiropractic on facebook
Eben Davis on Twitter