Why do I have back pain after lockdown?

Overnight we swapped the office for the kitchen bench and your day job may have also been to become a teacher. COVID 19 has certainly flipped life and thrown us out of routine. Stiff and achy backs are one of the major complaints as we transition from home back into the office.

So why has lockdown caused such a problem for our backs?

• Inadequate ergonomic equipment – switching a task chair for the sofa or the dining room chair has led to many of the back concerns that we are seeing. A good task chair should be adjustable in height, back angle and tilt. Certainly a dining chair can be modified to be more comfortable, but unless you are moving and changing your posture regularly this may contribute to discomfort due to lack of adjustability.

• Sitting more – typically we don’t move as much when we work from home. There are no meetings to run off to, or lunch breaks with work colleagues. Movement is the key to injury prevent, so try and move more, more often

• Exercise you are not used to – with gyms closed people found different ways to keep fit – walking and jogging for example. However, it doesn’t take long for our core muscles to become deconditioned if they are used in the right way.

• COVID kilos – excess weight can place additional strain on the back

So what can you do?

As we transition back into our “normal life” ease your way back into exercise, focus on your core and don’t go too hard too soon.

Spend some time making sure your office chair and workstation are appropriately set up and adjusted specially for you. If you need any help with your back concerns or require an ergonomic assessment, please call 1300 374 696.