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Working from Home? How to Help Look after Your Neck & Shoulders

October 11, 2021

There’s a lot to get used to when working from home. Besides sharing space with pets and kids and thinking through noise that you didn’t know existed, various body parts also feel the strain. We’re especially talking about neck and shoulders. While used to hours of usual desk work, our neck and shoulders are under even more pressure when working from home, having to adapt to all kinds of makeshift work stations and unusual office hours.

Whether you work from home usually or it’s because of COVID-related safety, when you have muscle and joint pain, nothing compares to a professional massage. But for the in-between muscle pain moments, there are some ideas that may help to keep your neck and shoulders pain-free.

Your desk and work station

Prevention is better than cure with some ergonomic at-home office ideas that may help in reducing neck and shoulder pain.

• Ensure the correct chair height so that your thighs are more or less parallel to the floor and your knees are about level with your hips.
• Use a footrest if your chair is too high. Even a box or stack of books can serve the purpose.
• Desk height relative to your chair is important. If your desk is too low you can elevate it with sturdy books. If your desk is too high, you’ll need to adjust or try a different chair.
• Frequently used work items should be kept close and within easy reach to avoid unnecessary and repeated stretching.
• Your mouse and keyboard should be on the same level. If possible, alternate your hands in using your mouse by placing it on the other side of the keyboard (this may not work for everyone though!).
• Your monitor should be about an arm’s length away, behind your keyboard, with the top of the screen at eye level or slightly below. Ideally, the brightest light source should be to the side of your monitor.
• If you’re often on the phone while working keep your phone on speaker or use a headphone or ear pods. Avoid cradling the phone between your head and neck.

Stretching ideas for neck and shoulders

• The shoulder stretch: Stretch one straight arm across your chest and hold for 30 seconds. Then swop to the other arm, and repeat. You can do this sitting or standing.
• The neck stretch: Remain seated and slowly turn your head in one direction until you feel the tension in your neck and shoulder, and hold for 30 seconds. Then repeat in the other direction.

Get up from your desk regularly

A lot of research supports getting up regularly in between sitting sessions. Ideally stand up after 20 minutes of sitting, and even if you can’t be mobile for the other 10 minutes, try standing for eight minutes and moving for two minutes. Commit to this routine by setting an alarm as a reminder, walking up stairs for a quick two minutes if close by, or doing household chores in your 10 minute breaks.

Booking a massage

If and when possible, the ideal treatment for neck and shoulder aches and pains is a professional session of remedial massage because remedial massage targets problem areas using a range of highly specialised techniques. Additional benefits of remedial massage include improved overall circulation, repairing damaged tissue, increasing joint mobility and flexibility, relaxing muscles and connective tissues and reducing stress.

With working from home settling in as a way of life for many of us, trying to build the right daily habits to keep body and mind healthy and pain-free is more important than ever.

Bondi Junction Massage & Float Centre is a restorative and remedial oasis of calm and wellbeing in the heart of Sydney’s eastern suburbs, treating thousands of clients since 1985. Our centre is currently OPEN, offering restricted services and adhering to a COVID Safety Plan. To find out more about remedial massage and our other treatments, please make contact or book now.

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