Office syndrome isn’t actually a medical condition as such, rather it is a collection of issues that can arise for those who work in an office environment. The average officer worker spends the majority of their working day sitting in front of a digital screen, while poor seating posture certainly leads to spinal issues.
Digital Revolution
We are living in a digital age and that means working with digital devices; we are almost a paperless society, with more people collaborating in a virtual environment and the emergence of office syndrome is to be expected. Hence many people are looking to cure office syndrome and a visit to your local physio clinic is definitely the best solution. A certified physiotherapist is trained for dealing with Musco skeletal conditions, plus the healthcare professional can show you exercises to prevent the onset of office syndrome and armed with the knowledge, you can avoid the pain and discomfort that comes from poor seating posture and endless hours staring at a computer screen.
Typical Symptoms
Office syndrome comes in many forms, such as:
- Neck pain due to constant looking at a computer screen.
- Lower back ache, caused by incorrect seating posture.
- Stiff shoulders from hunching over the workstation.
- Numbness in the fingers/hands/arms/legs.
- Wrist pain from constant use of mouse.
- Dry eyes
- Stiff hips
When you make an initial appointment with your local physio, he or she examines you and asks questions; this enables the physio to diagnose the root cause and set about creating a treatment plan.
Potential Treatments
The most common form of treatment for office syndrome is physical manipulation by a trained physio; a healthcare professional with many years of hands-on experience in treating neck, back and spine issues. Pain medication can be prescribed, although a physio would be reluctant to turn to a drug-based treatment, preferring a natural form of treatment. Click here if you have dry skin.
Preventative Actions
There are a few things that you can do to prevent office syndrome; ergonomic chairs are recommended, as they are designed for minimum discomfort. Ask your boss to make the investment, if they haven’t already!
Here are a few measures that you can take to alleviate office syndrome.
- Change your seating position regularly
- Stretch your arms, legs, feet and wrists regularly
- Break your gaze from the screen every 10 minutes
- Regularly change your arm positions when working
Natural Treatment
The best way to treat office syndrome is by making an appointment with your local physio and let the healthcare professional carry out a physical examination, ask a few questions and he/she should be able to recommend the best form of treatment. Addressing the root cause is always the best approach and a physio has many years of hands-on experience to draw on.
Working in an office environment doesn’t have to be uncomfortable; ergonomic chairs and well-designed workstations help a great deal in addressing office syndrome.