Approximately, two-thirds of employees spend their work days sitting in front of a computer at a desk job. Hunching over a screen for extended periods of time while constantly using repetitive motions of the wrist when typing, is causing an excess amount of individuals to develop chronic conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition which leads to numbness and tingling sensations in the hand and arm as a result of a pinched nerve in the wrist, or other repetitive motion injuries.
Moreover, an unexpected accident at work like a slip-and-fall on a wet break room floor can lead to spinal injuries, such as a herniated disc, accompanied by symptoms of back pain.
A back injury is one of the most common work-related injuries affecting a majority of individuals. Poor posture is often the primary contributing factor of spinal issues among office workers. Sitting in an improper posture for prolonged hours strains the muscles and other complex tissues surrounding the spine, leading to pain, soreness and stiffness. Additionally, if the individual doesn’t correct their posture over time, the spine will begin to misalign or develop a subluxation, which can create further complications including sciatica. Once the individual has experienced symptoms of pain and discomfort, it’s essential for them to seek immediate medical attention for their injuries to avoid developing chronic symptoms.
Working in industrial or construction settings and lifting heavy objects can frequently lead to a variety of physical complications if the necessary precautions aren’t followed, but work-related issues don’t necessarily occur only in strenuous, physical jobs. In fact, many of the diagnosed workplace injuries treated by healthcare professionals occur in an office environment where the proper ergonomic techniques aren’t followed. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.