Office Cubicle or Open Space, Chronic Pain in the Office Does Not Discriminate
Whether you work in an open office with a ping pong table and espresso bar or one with rows of office cubicles, chronic pain can find you. The cause of the chronic pain is not so much where you are working, but how. A recent article by Larry Alton for HuffPost explains that there are three main causes of chronic pain in the office. They are poor posture, repetitive motion and visual straining.
These causes happen no matter where or how you work. Being aware is the first step to preventing chronic pain so take a minute to notice your posture. Are you leaning in toward your computer monitor? If yes, then you probably have pain in the middle of your back. If you are leaning on your elbows, the pain is probably in your forearms and your hands fall asleep at night.
The solution is to be aware of your surroundings and the repetitive motions your body is subjected to each day in the office cubicle or your open space. Try to switch up your position frequently throughout the day. If you can work sitting and standing throughout the day, it is an ideal way to alleviate repetitive motion. Try taking a few five-minute breaks and walk around.
Don’t wait until the chronic pain rears it’s unpleasant head. Get ahead of it by changing the way you work now. Don’t wait until it’s too late and the damage is done. Talk to human resources if you are concerned about your office chair, office cubicle or office desk set up.
Chronic pain is responsible for nearly $300 billion in lost productivity annually. ROSI Office Systems, Inc. can help you find solutions to improve your employees’ chronic work-related pain. ROSI Office Systems’ vendors include Humanscale, Global and Safco. All these top-rated vendors have created ergonomic chairs, sit-to-stand desks, standing desks, and more. Contact ROSI for a solution.
