As many people are working from home during the COVID-19lockdown without a proper desk, they could be sitting in the wrong posture forhours which can lead to pain in the neck and lower back. Health experts havesuggested that simple tips like not taking their laptop to bed, taking adequatebreaks and having a healthy diet can help you avoid these problems.
People should be extra careful not to fall sick during thisperiod as the work from home mode and closure of gyms have disrupted physicalactivity schedules of many, the experts said.
“We should keep in mind that this lockdown period isfor our safety from a disease, and doesn’t allow us to be careless and inviteother diseases like cervical pain, backache, arthritis etc.,” Monu Singh,Senior Consultant in Orthopaedics at Narayana Superspeciality Hospital,Gurugram, told IANS.
“As people are not going out daily for office now, ithas definitely broken their physical activity schedule including walking,gymming and to balance that schedule they should take out at least one houreveryday for routine exercise and other physical activities which can be doneat home like yoga and other free hand exercises,” he said.
The doctor suggested that while working from home peopleshould use a table and chair, keep their back straight and posture right.
They should keep taking adequate breaks to avoid sitting fortoo long in front of a laptop or any screen for that matter, he said, addingthat diet is extremely important in these times of restricted activity.
“Avoid snacking, don’t keep munching unhealthy food,add more fruits and fibres to your daily meal with plenty of fluids and keepyour calcium intake right,” Singh said.
Subhash Jangid, Director and Unit Head, Bone & JointInstitute, Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram has advised people todo neck stretching exercises and keep the neck and back muscles strong in thisperiod of lockdown.
“People with cervical issues should avoid any heavyweights,” Jangid said.
“For people with back problems, you can walk in yourhome. Make a schedule, fix a time and walk at a length for half-hour to stayactive. In case you do not have ample space for a walk, take out your yoga mator a bedsheet, you can do pilates or soft yoga poses to improve your corestrength and stability,” he said.
Some such exercises are – chair stand, single leg raise,heel raise, front plank on table.
People can also do a plank and a child’s pose to gainstrength for the back.
The doctor added that dancing is a great way of stayingactive and keeping the family bond strong.
Alternatively, one can do skipping, Zumba, yoga or pilatesor floor exercises.
“Stand or walk around while talking over the phone,rather than sitting down,” the doctor said.
According to Viju Thomas (PT), Head Of Department,Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department, Sri Balaji Action MedicalInstitute in New Delhi, people who are working from home need to be morecareful.
“Do ‘Surya Namaskar’ every morning and walk in yourroom. If one is already on therapy then be in contact with your physiotherapistand keep taking advice to follow,” said Thomas.