Did you know that back spasms account for the second-highest number of workdays missed? Well, it is essential to note as it shows the nature of the situation. It is critical to note that this problem can decrease your quality of life, reduce your productivity at work, and bring about unnecessary pain.
In the real sense, back spasms account for over 93 million lost workdays every year and over $4.5 billion in America’s annual healthcare costs. But, on the other hand, eight out of ten people will report back spasm incidences at some point in their lifetime, while one out of four Americans currently experience back spasms.
These are startling statistics, but it is not as surprising when one looks at it at a deeper level. If you think about it, you will notice that most of the modern jobs in this present era are sedentary. Many current jobs require individuals to sit for long periods of time in front of their computers. This fact is true for many doctors, nurses, lawyers, and various other types of professionals in the office environment.
But knowing that this is an issue does not help as much; how do you ensure to prevent or avoid back spasms at work?
The first step is to ensure to work with the right professionals on this matter. The specific professionals will have knowledge of physical therapy, back muscle spasms, back pain, severe pain, back and abdominal muscles, spinal muscles, acute pain, nerve irritation, muscle weakness, and much more. Suppose you are able to notice issues early on. In that case, you can work with workers comp doctors who have effective understanding and experience in muscle injury, neck pain, involuntary contraction, sharp pain, and much more.
The critical point here is to ensure to address the problem early on with doctors so that you can start to practice better habits and obtain better health.
Watch Your Posture
Constant sitting and standing postures at work will affect the way your back will feel for the rest of the day. You may avoid the spasms associated with a poor sitting posture by keeping your back straight and well-aligned.
Here is a list of sitting tips you may adopt to prevent back spasms.
- Always sit back on your chair, ensuring that your posterior occupies the space between the seat and the back of the chair. Keep your head up.
- Ensure that your back is against the backrest
- Rest your feet firmly on the floor
- Don’t cross your legs-this may cause a twisting effect on your shoulders and spine.
- Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor
- Adjust the armrest of your chair so that your arms will maintain a right angle
Take Breaks and Stretches
Stretching can help you stop back spasms before they start. In addition, you improve your flexibility and loosen your thigh muscles any time you stretch. In essence, stretching helps you prepare your back joints and muscles for long hours of engagement, mainly if your work involves significant periods of sitting and standing.
Conversely, taking a few regular breaks from your tight work schedule can help you tackle back spasms and other back-related pains before they come. You only need to spare a few minutes out of your busy schedule to take a walk and do simple stretches.
Such activities will reinvigorate your muscles and deal with the kinks you may have accumulated while working. Engage in operations like yoga, sit-ups, pilates, and alternate between sitting and standing.
Lift Properly
Poor lifting accounts for the highest number of workplace-related back spasms even though they may be avoided. In essence, lifting heavy objects is only safe and easy if you do it from the hip level (at least). Therefore, experts suggest that you keep any heavy objects you want to lift on elevated surfaces like stacking pallets and shelves whenever possible.
Here are other lifting tips that will help you avoid back spasms at work:
- Try keeping boxes closer to the chest region instead of leaving them in a hanging position like the hip area.
- Carry long items like pipes over your shoulders
- Try as much as possible not to twist your body when lifting
- Always know that your back was not designed for twisting and operating in odd angles
- Shift your body (whole) instead of the upper region alone any time you want to turn while lifting
Check Your Standing Position
Does your job require you to be on your feet for a better part of the day? If yes, you must be careful to avoid activities that may put your back in constant pain. Those working in the sales and foodservice sectors can attest that continuous standing, coupled with poor ergonomics, can cause multiple back-related issues. However, you may reduce your chances of experiencing back spasms by adopting a good standing posture.
Here is a list of activities that will help you maintain a good standing posture at work:
- Keep your shoulders aligned with your pelvic region.
- Ensure that your head is in line with the shoulders.
- Keeping your feet apart in the width of your shoulders will grant you the opportunity to distribute your body weight evenly.
- Don’t force yourself to stand for long periods without taking the necessary breaks.
Be Keen To Modify Any Repetitive Roles.
Repetitive tasks can be draining and very dull. However, you can make such duties enjoyable and reduce the chances of experiencing back spasms through modifications.
Here’s how to modify repetitive tasks:
- Adopt lifting machines to help you lift loads
- Ensure proper positioning of your work devices like computers
- Alternate physically demanding tasks with those that are less demanding
- Adopt a headset or use a loudspeaker if your work involves frequent phone calls
- Avoid unnecessary twisting, reaching, and bending
- Try limiting the time you spend when carrying heavy loads.
Reach Out to Physical Therapy Professionals When Looking for Help or Assistance With Muscle Spasms
If you are looking for the right physical therapy professionals to help you with your back spasm or muscle spasm issues, reach out to the Workers Comp Doctor professionals today.
Our professionals can help to guide you to the right professionals that can help you with your various issues. We understand that these problems can compound over time and will ensure to connect you to muscle spasm, back spasm, back pain, back muscles, and other issue-related professionals in the New York region.
While you can follow the preventative tips noted above when thinking about muscle spasms, back pain, and related issues, you may still encounter issues. If you do experience minor problems, make sure to work with solutions like Workers Comp Doctor to take care of your back pain or other matters as quickly as possible.
We know that the pain of muscle spasms can be excruciating and often feels like it’s never going to go away. That’s why we want you to have access to professional medical advice whenever you need it, with same-day appointments being available. Doctors in our directory accept most insurance plans, including no-fault and workers’ compensation. Contact us today for more information about how our team of experts can help connect you with a doctor who specializes in back muscles!.