Neck hurts from working at the computer. What to do when your neck hurts while sitting at a computer: simple ways. How to restore the elasticity of the muscles of the neck
Moreover, she needs to move up and down, sideways and back. However, when working at a computer, we are constantly forced to look directly at the screen to make out tiny flickering letters - when we turn our heads, there is a risk of missing something important. The head must be fixed, and the neck does not move at all, even during breathing. This creates an incredible load on the articular joints of the spine.
If you sit for too long in the same position without changing the position of your head, then the joints, which are naturally supposed to constantly move, coarsen.
Prolonged work at the computer inevitably leads to coarsening of the joints. Moreover, the head needs to maintain a stable position, because with any movement the eyes can lose focus. So it turns out that the muscles of the neck are tensed all the time along with the muscles of the shoulders and upper back. Even the muscles of the lower back are subjected to additional stress, which can affect the movements of the torso. However, now we are most interested in the tension of the muscles of the neck.
So, in addition to the need to maintain an upright posture, which is the responsibility of precise postural muscles, the brain also forces us to keep our eyes on the screen. So numerous spasms appear in the neck.
If every day to hold the neck in a similar position for many hours, then unfavorable conditions are created for gas exchange in the tissues, as well as for the removal of accumulated lactic acid, especially when working in enclosed spaces, where oxygen access is limited and oxidation of by-products of vital activity is extremely difficult. As a result, it accumulates a large number of lactic acid, not to mention overexertion of the eye muscles (there are six different groups among them), because the eyes have to constantly focus on an object that is located at the same distance from the head.
In a situation where the muscles of the eyes and neck themselves are overly strained, and even the next project needs to be submitted on time, stress leads to even more tension. Such work is one of the most unhealthy occupations. Much worse than bungee jumping.
You might think that driving a car in this sense is no better. However, the person behind the wheel constantly glances in the rear and side mirrors, which changes both the focus of the eyes and the position of the head. The driving process is almost completely automatic. When you step on the gas or brake pedal, you don't have to give conscious commands to your feet, you don't have to think about it. Driving is one of the most complex automatic skills that can be taught to a person. But on a wide freeway, where most drivers still try to follow the established rules, you can relax a bit.
Knitting is also an automatic process that actively engages the motor centers of the brain. Yes, it involves repetitive hand movements, but you can also move your head and talk in parallel. Your neck is not fixed in one position. Crocheting or embroidery is perhaps more like working at a computer in this regard. As well as prolonged reading: even reading while lying in bed leads to overstrain of the neck muscles. Not only that, if you just lie on the couch or bed - and then the neck muscles can remain tense.
However, when you are engaged in all of these activities, the subconscious is more or less in control of the situation. But the same cannot be said about working at a computer. In addition, additional stress is associated with the need to ensure that you do not make mistakes. Even just chatting on the Internet, you must constantly be ready for the appearance of new letters on the screen. If you work in a bank or trade on the stock exchange, you cannot afford a single mistake. Your duties must be carried out impeccably. One tiny inaccuracy - and the authorities will certainly find out whose fault this happened. The burden of responsibility can be truly unbearable. Computers are a noose around the neck of humanity.
Prolonged improper handling of the neck can lead to degenerative damage to the intervertebral discs, and later to degeneration of the articular joints. But both problems can be easily avoided.
Treatment of neck pain associated with computer work
If you spend at least six hours a day at the computer, then you should, if not daily, then at least every other day, massage the neck area. It is recommended to independently massage the muscles of the jaw, temples and neck muscles. This must be done regularly - there is no other option. Otherwise, problems will inevitably accumulate. There are panic attacks, neck pain and severe stress, and all due to the fact that the muscles of the neck are too tense. The vertebral arteries are compressed, which contributes to the development of Ali syndrome. If you work at a computer, you must constantly engage in prevention.
Such pains, as a rule, are not associated with pinched nerves, but are rather of a spondylitis nature - this muscle pain due to muscle tension. Most often, during swimming or performing simple exercises, the muscles relax and the pain goes away. However, when it occurs, you need to take preventive or therapeutic measures, as sometimes massaging a local area does not help get rid of tension and chronic neck pain develops that interferes with normal sleep. The principle here is the same: you toss and turn in bed, and every time you think about something unpleasant, a long spasm seizes the neck muscles, as a result of which the access of blood and oxygen to muscle tissue decreases.
I emphasize: the tension of the muscles of the neck in this case associated mainly with the accumulation of lactic acid. Remember that head movement does not necessarily prevent the eyes from focusing on the screen. The eye muscles work together enough to cope with this task. Thus, slight movements of the head while working at the computer allow both the neck and the eyes to constantly move. This approach, of course, does not guarantee complete deliverance from the problem, nor will it become a worthy alternative to the treatment prescribed by the doctor, but still very useful.
Dear ladies, most of us work in the office from 9.00 to 18.00 from Monday to Friday. Naturally, at the computer (where without it).
We come in the morning, sit down at our desk, turn on our favorite computer and start working for the good of the company. And often we work so hard that by the evening we feel a little stiff.
Our neck is especially affected. If you are now 20-25 years old, then you still may not notice how tired your neck muscles are for the whole day. If you are 35-40 years old, admit that from time to time you are tormented by pain in the neck, and doctors are talking about the beginning cervical osteochondrosis.
small test
Sitting right at your desk, look to your right. Looked? Now the result: if your head rotation is 90 degrees, congratulations: your neck is still (!) in order. If you are able to turn your neck at an angle less than 90 degrees, it's time to think about the fight against clamps and the active prevention of osteochondrosis.
What to do?
Everything is simple. Take time to stretch your neck during the working day. We offer you a mini-set of exercises for the neck, which you can perform right at the workplace. The complex will take you no more than 4-5 minutes. It is advisable to do the complex at least 2 times a day.
What is important to remember?
All exercises for the neck are performed on a stretched, even spine, carefully and slowly so as not to injure the muscles.
Exercises
The starting position (IP) for all exercises is standing or sitting, legs shoulder-width apart, the spine is stretched (the crown of the head is stretched to the ceiling), the chin is kept parallel to the floor.
1. We say "yes!"
From the IP, slowly lower the chin to the chest, stretching the back of the neck. We return the head to the IP.
2. "Tumbler"
From the IP, slowly tilt the head to the right shoulder. We return to IP. We repeat the same to the left shoulder.
We repeat these two exercises 3-4 times.
3. "Hi, neighbor!"
From the IP smoothly, until it stops, turn the head to the right, then to the left. We repeat 3-4 times. Important! Make sure that the spine during this exercise was stretched, and the head turned strictly horizontally.
4. "Floor-ceiling"
Great exercise! In addition to the muscles of the neck, we will also pull the side surface of the body. So, while in the IP, they put their hands clasped in a lock on the back of the head. Lowered the chin to the chest until it stops, hands exert a slight pressure on the back of the head for maximum stretching of the neck muscles.
From this position, turn your head to the side and up, trying to look at the ceiling. We feel how pleasantly stretch lateral muscles corps.
5. "And the neck is a swan!"
Now we will try to make our neck as long as that of swans!
Being in the IP, we put the right hand on the left shoulder and pull the shoulder down.
From this position, we move the head in a semicircle down to the chest, and then back and up.
We stretch the lateral muscles of the neck well.
6. Let's remember the shoulders!
Since our head is on our shoulders, stretching our neck, we should also remember about them.
From the IP at the same time we raise two shoulders as high as possible, to the ears. Slowly squeeze the shoulders as low as possible. We repeat 5-7 times.
7. Bonus!
Next exercise well develops the muscles of the neck, training their flexibility and elasticity. But fulfill it better at home, at least warn colleagues at work in advance what you will be doing now.
Sitting, with a straight back, we begin to write out a number from 0 to 9 in the air with our charming nose. From the outside, you will look mysterious, but later everyone will envy the contour of your face and the clarity of the chin line!
Have a nice and useful workout!
In today's computerized world, where people are increasingly working at computers, sitting on a chair all day, leading a sedentary lifestyle, spinal problems are becoming more common. It can be pain in the neck, pain between the shoulder blades or pain under the shoulder blade on one side, pain in the lower back, or even pain that radiates to the leg. Symptoms, causes and effects may vary. The diagnoses given by doctors also differ. The treatment of back pain has several basic points that need to be understood not only by the doctor, but also by the patient.
Why do back pains occur?
When you sit at a computer or just at your desk all day, your back muscles are in a tense state. There are spasms and violations of tone. This, in turn, can lead to disorders not only at the muscle level, but also to neurological symptoms (when pain radiates along the limbs). It should also be understood that the intervertebral discs are nourished by diffusion. This requires movement. And the state when there is no load on the spine, and the body does not change its position for a long time, leads to the fact that the nutrition of the intervertebral discs deteriorates, their structure is disturbed, which sooner or later can lead to the development of intervertebral hernias and protrusions of the intervertebral discs.
What to do if your neck hurts?
Let's consider three fundamentally different options.
If neck pain appeared due to an acute injury: a fall, a blow, any other forceful impact (for example, diving and hitting the bottom of a reservoir or the surface of the water), and this began to be accompanied by a feeling of numbness in the body, in the arms and legs, impaired movement, it is urgent to call an ambulance. During communication with the operator, it is necessary to inform the time of the injury, the circumstances, the patient's complaints. While waiting for an ambulance, the main thing is not to shift the victim from place to place, immobilize him as much as possible, fix his neck. The doctor of the ambulance team upon arrival will fix the cervical region with a special fixator. After taking a picture of the cervical spine, it will be clear whether there is damage to the cervical vertebrae or not. Diagnosis and treatment is carried out by a neurosurgeon or orthopedic traumatologist.
Second option, which is not accompanied by trauma to the cervical spine, but most often occurs against the background of hypothermia of the body. Moreover, this may not be a one-time effect of low temperature (for example, plunged into an ice hole), but a long sitting in a draft, near an open window. Such factors often lead to neuritis. People say, "I caught a cold in my neck." The tactics of treatment will also be different, it is handled by a neurologist. The basis of treatment: the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, often in the form of injections, the use of physiotherapy (heating, magnetotherapy, laser therapy).
Third option- these are pains in the neck that occur as a result of being in an uncomfortable position (long sitting at the computer, sleeping on an uncomfortable bed, on a high pillow, sitting in an uncomfortable chair, standing for a long time, without being able to walk). These are all very common situations. But you need to understand that the causes, and accordingly the treatment tactics, will differ markedly. In this case, there is practically no inflammation. That is why anti-inflammatory pills and injections are not needed. (They may relieve the pain, but they won't fix the cause.) The reason for such pain in the neck lies in the biomechanical processes: the position of the vertebrae, the position of the ligamentous apparatus, muscle tone. This is where the pain comes from. Accordingly, they can be eliminated only due to the same MECHANICAL impact.
Manual treatment of pain in the neck and other parts of the spine
The mechanical effect on the human body underlies all manual medicine (“manus” in translation means “hand”). That is - this is all that a doctor can do with his hands, without exposure to chemical or other physical (heat, radiation, current) influences. Manual therapy is clearly justified if the pain is not due to injury. Moreover, you need to start not with a massage, as everyone used to think, but with a consultation and correction by a chiropractor. Only he will be able to identify in which segment the cause of back pain, how much the muscle tone has been disturbed, and how exactly this problem should be eliminated. Most often, one or two sessions are needed to correct the spine and eliminate back pain. And then, if desired, you can proceed to massage sessions and physiotherapy exercises.
Complaining of constant headaches? The reason may be a favorite chair. Has your vision deteriorated? The relationship is the same, albeit slow, but direct. Moreover, the comfort and anatomy of the chair will not count.
“Comfort is a conditional concept in many respects,” our expert believes, osteopath Boris Protasov. Comfortable doesn't always mean right. It is important to find the golden mean between correctness and comfort.”
The light at the end of the tunnel syndrome
The search for this golden mean is always individual. More and more professions are associated with a sedentary lifestyle. This means that attention is not only to the chair, but also to the table. And at the table - to the hands. They should neither sag between the chair and the table, nor rise above them.
Doing a long monotonous sedentary work, a person will sooner or later encounter the so-called tunnel syndrome - disorders of the peripheral nervous system that are caused by pinching of the nerves in their natural tunnels. There is pain in the wrists, and the hands begin to go numb - the right hand that holds the computer mouse, or both at once, when a person hammers on the keyboard for hours. The reason is a kind of "suffocation" of the nerves in their natural "cases". At a minimum, pain in the hands, as well as the weakness and fuzziness of their movements, a person cannot avoid.
Tunnel syndrome is increasingly common in people whose professional activities are associated with the tension of individual muscle groups. And the result is damage to the nerve roots and plexuses, as well as cranial and peripheral nerves.
How to avoid it? There are no clear algorithms. Comfortable armrests of the working chair will help one person, allowing you to maintain a right angle of the bend of the arm at the elbow. And the other is used to keeping his elbows on the table. Criterion: the angle of the arm bend is 90 °, it should be adhered to.
Wrong chair?
After long sitting a person should not feel tired. If the neck becomes numb, there is tension in the muscles of the back and lower back, this is an unequivocal call: we urgently need to correct the situation.
And this is not a reason to run for expensive "anatomical" furniture. If a person sometimes says that this particular chair or armchair is made as if for him, then first of all he notes that he voluntarily or involuntarily picked up furniture that was convenient for him.
“Alas, more often comfortable furniture is selected involuntarily,” says Boris Protasov. - And this should be the result of an analysis of your feelings. The result of the search and competent placement of surrounding objects.
The simplest example: if a person is used to sitting too low, his head also gets used to being thrown back. As a result, lordosis of the cervical region occurs. Too high a TV screen or computer monitor can also lead to lordosis.
From posture problems to neurology
And the price of lordosis? The arteries of the cervical region are registered in the neck, supplying oxygen to the brain and ensuring the outflow of blood. With our habitually wrong landing, we create for ourselves, firstly, those same headaches - migraines. This is followed by a gradual deterioration of vision. Apotheosis - detachment of the retina. In any case, sitting too low, we create problems with intracranial pressure. By the way, the “mirror situation”, when a person sits too high, leads to kyphosis, which is commonly called stoop. A stooped person, with his incorrect position at the table, "clamps" the chest and creates problems with breathing and lungs. Choosing the wrong furniture, we create neurological problems. The spine is like a case that protects the spinal cord, which, in turn, controls the secondary autonomic nervous system. It is this “periphery” that is responsible for those questions that we do not think about: “How do we breathe? How do we maintain body temperature? Why are we sweating?" It can take a long time to explain the relationship between an elementary incorrectly selected table, chair and general condition. Isn't it easier to eliminate errors at the very beginning, guided by the principle of "convenient - not convenient"?
Landing Rules
“When organizing a workplace and a recreation area, it is necessary to focus on the state of the body,” our expert is sure. - If you come home from work and your neck hurts, be sure to understand tomorrow that the workplace is organized incorrectly. If at home, resting, you get up with an even heavier body, see if everything is comfortable for you. Do you constantly watch TV with your head turned halfway? Expect trouble."
A lounge chair should not only be comfortable, but comfortable. Here it is important to look at the position of the legs. In a "falling" chair, a person necessarily stretches his legs. So comfortable for the joints. But in the end, the knees are high. And it would be right if the legs were bent at a right angle. It will be easier to get up, and the skeleton will not experience additional stress. Even in a chair or back of a sofa, support for the back and head is desirable.
And still it is necessary to sit correctly at the wheel. For example, if the driver leans back in his seat, then he should stretch his arms forward so that his hands hang from the steering wheel. At the same time, the hands should be bent. You can't drive with outstretched arms. This will lead to rapid fatigue.
The user of a personal computer belongs to the category of mental workers. He does not move heavy objects, does not inhale coal dust and products of organic synthesis, and does not dehydrate open hearth furnace. However, he, like physical workers, is exposed to harmful factors due to the peculiarities of the production process.
Today there is a lot of talk about the harmful effects of computers on human health. Compliance of computers with sanitary and hygienic norms is regulated by a set of international standards, which become more and more strict from year to year. The development of modern technologies leads to the fact that the computer is becoming more and more safe for humans. However, even today, as evidenced, for example, by data from the US Department of Labor, various health disorders of employees working at a computer cost America 100 billion dollars annually. The compensation paid reaches astronomical proportions, and some victims of computer work have to pay with severe pain throughout their lives.
Recent studies have shown that approximately 20% of health problems associated with working at a computer are not caused by the "harmfulness" of the computer as such, but by ignorance of the basic rules for working with it, as well as improper organization of the workplace.
WHY WORKING AT A COMPUTER ALWAYS LEADS TO PAIN
Sitting for a long time is harmful to a person in general. Staying in the same position for a long time causes the muscles to work continuously without rest. At the same time, decay products accumulate in them, causing pain. Hypokinesia, or inactivity, is the main scourge of PC users and programmers. When the level drops physical activity caused by a sedentary lifestyle, the risk of many diseases such as osteochondrosis, obesity, hemorrhoids increases dramatically. And recent studies by scientists at Harvard University (USA) have convincingly shown that hypokinesia is also a risk factor in the development of diabetes.
If, while working at a computer, you also sit in the wrong position - for example, slouching or leaning forward - your spine is deformed, injuring the discs. You raise your shoulders and bend your arms, holding them tight, and they start to hurt. Such loads, repeated daily, lead to microtraumas of the body. Unlike macrotraumas - fractures of the leg, arm, etc. - microtraumas do not occur suddenly, but accumulate gradually, day after day, subsequently leading to serious disorders in the body. It will take weeks or months before you feel pain. The pain may feel like a slight burning or tingling sensation in the joints and muscles.
As you know, prevention The best way treatment of the disease. To prevent diseases associated with repetitive traumatic effects, it is necessary to properly organize your workplace at the computer, constantly monitor your posture, and regularly take rest breaks and exercise.
HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR WORKPLACE CORRECTLY
To reduce the harmful effects of various industries on human health, doctors are developing strict norms and requirements that must be met. These requirements are called sanitary rules and regulations. In 1996, the State Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance approved " Hygiene requirements to video display terminals, personal computers and work organization". This document contains detailed recommendations on how to work correctly at a computer. There are also several international sanitary and hygienic standards.
We list the basic requirements for organizing work at a computer and recommendations for their implementation.
Room and lighting. In a room designed for working on a computer, there should be both natural and artificial lighting. Therefore, the location of workplaces in the basement is not allowed. It is best if the windows in the room face north or northeast. The premises must be equipped not only with heating devices, but also with air conditioning systems or effective ventilation. Walls and ceilings should be painted with matte paint: shiny and especially mirror surfaces tire the eyesight and distract from work. Rooms should be cleaned daily.
It is desirable that the area of \u200b\u200bthe workplace is at least 6 square meters, and the volume is 20 cubic meters. The table should be placed on the side of the window so that the light falls on the left. The best lighting for working on a computer is diffused, indirect light that does not glare on the screen. There should be no sharp changes in brightness in the user's field of vision, so it is advisable to close the windows with curtains or blinds, artificial lighting should be general and uniform: it is unacceptable to use table lamps alone.
A monitor, keyboard, mouse, as well as documents, books, papers should be freely placed on the desktop. If you want to place several tables with monitors in a row, then you should place them in such a way that the distance in a row is at least 2 meters, and between rows - 1.2 meters. Doctors believe that when performing creative work that requires significant mental stress or high concentration of attention, it is desirable to isolate workplaces from each other with partitions 1.5-2 meters high.
To work on a computer, you need a chair that allows you not only to support correct posture taking into account the features of the figure, but also to change it to reduce the static tension of the muscles of the neck-shoulder region and back. Therefore, the chair must be adjustable in height, seat and back angles, as well as the distance of the back from the front edge of the seat. The surfaces of the seat, back and armrests must be semi-soft, with a coating that is non-slip, non-electrifying and breathable.
To determine the most appropriate chair height, sit on it and place your hands on the keyboard: your feet should be fully touching the floor, your hips should be slightly above your knees, your back should feel supported, and your forearms should be parallel to the floor.
The monitor should be placed on a table directly in front of you, approximately outstretched hand so that the top of the monitor is at eye level or no more than 15 centimeters below. To reduce glare, it is useful to use special visors for monitors.
The correct position of the hands when working with the keyboard and mouse: the elbows are parallel to the surface of the table and at right angles to the shoulder. Wrists should not be bent, otherwise they may be damaged. It is desirable that during work the wrists rest on something. The design of modern keyboards and mice provides support for them. However, you can easily make it yourself, for example, by taking a narrow strip of Styrofoam and placing it in front of a keyboard or mouse. The keyboard should be located 10-15 centimeters from the edge of the table.
Sometimes it is useful to use a footrest. It is simply necessary for people of short stature, whose legs do not reach the floor.
ERGONOMIC FURNITURE
Sanitary and hygienic standards developed by doctors (only their most basic provisions are mentioned above) should be taken into account when designing computer and office furniture, as well as when designing office premises. Recently, products made with hygiene and comfort in mind are often referred to as ergonomic. Ergonomics is the science of the interaction between man and machine. Today, one of its main tasks is to reduce the load on the human body associated with working on a computer. So, for example, the "ergonomic mouse" is designed in such a way as to support the wrist in the desired position. Obviously, one of the main requirements for modern computer furniture is its ergonomics.
What is computer furniture on the Russian market? Today it is most often the so-called "universal rack for computer equipment." It, as a rule, is a stand for a monitor, a "birdhouse" for a processor unit and a shelf for a printer. The main advantages of such a rack are low price and compactness, which is important for small apartments. However, working on a stand is not very convenient: there is nowhere to place 
necessary papers and reference books, nowhere to put your feet, etc.
In offices, computers are often placed on large desks with a keyboard drawer. The monitor is usually placed at an angle, and during operation you have to look right or left all the time. Muscular balance is disturbed: the muscles on one side are tensed all the time, and on the other, they are stretched. This can lead to nerve entrapment, pain and discomfort. If, in an attempt to create a more comfortable work environment, you build an L-shaped table, you will have more convenient access to materials. However, you will be forced to work halfway to the front edge of the table and to the sliding board for the keyboard, which is not reconfigurable. In addition, your legs will constantly rest against the table supports.
Separate criticism deserve sliding shelves for the keyboard. Studies have shown that the occupational disease of typists (carpal tunnel syndrome) is often caused by this particular device. This is not surprising: the height of the office desk is designed for written work, and the keyboard on the sliding stand is obviously below the norm.
A superficial analysis of the typical working conditions of computer users and programmers shows that furniture, even specialized, is extremely uncomfortable. And often it is simply used for other purposes.
What should be an ergonomic desk for working at a computer?
An important category in determining the suitability of a table is its working area. That part of the tabletop, to which a working person reaches with his hand with his elbow pressed to the body, constitutes the near zone of coverage, and the place where he can reach by stretching his arm completely forms the boundary of the far zone. The natural desire of a worker is to reach any point on the table.
The next fundamental point is the ability to properly position the monitor. As already mentioned, the monitor should stand in front of the user so that there is enough space in front of him for the keyboard and paper documents.
When designing a computer desk, one cannot discount the criterion of compactness, without, however, bringing it to the point of absurdity.
One of the possible table designs that meets these requirements was developed by the Russian company Ergonomic Design. The table has an angular shape with a semicircular front edge. The "dead space" in the corner is occupied by the monitor. The front edge of the table forms an arc around the user, providing a maximum access area of more than 90% of the table area. The space under the tabletop is divided into three parts: in the center - legroom, on the sides - space for a computer processor unit, a nightstand or an additional tabletop. The processor compartment is designed so that the computer is as open as possible. This provides Better conditions its cooling, rapid repair and modernization. A semicircular (convex or concave) shelf is provided above the monitor, which does not restrict the horizontal movement and rotation of the monitor. The shelf also acts as a protective visor, protecting the screen from glare and increasing its contrast. Along with the table, wall shelves are supplied, on which you can store books, CD-ROMs, folders with papers and other auxiliary working materials.
For a person who combines computer work with a significant amount of "paper work" (a businessman, accountant, manager, etc.), a similar model of a table with an elongated right side is more suitable: on the right there will be space for working with directories, books, documents.
Detailed information about furniture models "Ergonomic Design" can be found on the company's website www.ergonomic.ru.
CORRECT POSTURE
A properly organized workplace is only the first step towards the prevention of possible diseases. So that working at a computer does not harm your health, you must constantly monitor the position of the body in the process of work, that is, posture. Correct posture relieves the muscles as much as possible and allows you to work longer, less tired.
It is believed that with proper posture, the ears are located exactly in the plane of the shoulders, and the shoulders are exactly above the hips. The head should be kept level in relation to both shoulders. When you look down, your head should not tilt forward.
If you constantly hunch over during work, the load on the spine increases, leading to excessive stretching of the muscles. A hunched position can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, a herniated disc in the lumbar and cervical regions.
Many, looking at the monitor screen, stretch their neck forward. Often this is due to the fact that the monitor is moved too far. As a result, the load on the muscles of the base of the head and neck increases by about three times, the vessels of the neck are compressed, worsening the blood supply to the head. In addition, a person sitting in this position has to tilt his head back each time to see, for example, a paper document lying directly in front of him. This increases the deflection of the cervical spine. Subsequently, this can lead to headaches and pain in the hands, as the nerves that leave the spinal cord in the neck reach the fingertips.
Slouching - a position in which the line of the shoulders is not exactly above the line of the hips and below the line of the ears - causes excessive stress on the shoulder tendons and shoulder muscles. Prolonged work in this position can lead to the development of carpal tunnel syndromes and shoulder incarceration. So don't stoop, don't slouch, don't crane your neck. It is possible that, starting to sit with the correct posture, you will suddenly feel pain in the muscles. Don't worry, it takes some time for individual muscles to adjust to new loads. However, after the muscles get used to the new position of the body, the pain will go away by itself.
MODE OF WORK AND REST
Even absolutely correct posture It won't help if you sit in one position all day. Prolonged immobility will lead to muscle fatigue. If you have to sit all day, get up from time to time or slightly change the height of the chair or table top to change general position body.
According to the requirements developed by the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, the total time of direct work with a personal computer should not exceed six hours per shift. During the working day, breaks of 10-20 minutes should be arranged. Work without a break should not exceed two hours. During breaks, it is recommended to perform sets of physical exercises.
A. SHISHLOV.
ERG AEROBICS
Erg aerobics is a complex system for the prevention of diseases caused by the so-called "repetitive traumatic effects when working with a computer." It was developed by two American Physical Therapy Association members Daniel Seidler and Perry Bonomo.
Erg exercises are designed to increase a person's endurance and productivity. They are simple, do not attract the attention of others and take very little time. You can do them anytime, no matter where you are: during coffee breaks, on the phone, or while waiting for transport at the bus stop. This will help you stay in great physical shape and unbeknownst to you will become a natural way of doing work - healthy and painless.
Here are some useful erg exercises.
"Looking to the sky".
Posture: standing.
1. In a standing position, place your hands on your hips.
2. Slowly lean back while looking at the sky or the ceiling.
3. Return to the starting position.
Repeat 10 times.
The purpose of this exercise is to eliminate the harmful effects of sitting still for a long period of time and to prevent herniated lumbar discs.
"Egyptian".
Posture: sitting or standing.
1. Look straight ahead, not up or down.
2. Press your index finger on your chin.
3. Move your neck back.
Tip: While doing this move, keep looking straight ahead, don't look up or down. To do this, imagine that someone standing behind you is pulling on a thread passing through your chin.
Stay in this position for 5 seconds.
Repeat 10 times.
The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen the muscles in the back of the neck to improve posture and prevent pain in the neck. Exercise helps prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, cervical disc herniation, superior aperture syndrome chest.
"Abracadabra".
Posture: sitting.
1. Place your hands on the armrests with your wrists extended palms down.
2. Abra: Slowly clench your palms into a fist.
3. Kadabra: Slowly open your fists.
Repeat 10 times.
The purpose of the exercise is to increase blood flow to the palms, relieve tension in the wrists and palms, remove decay products from the carpal tunnel and palms.
"Conversation with the palm."
Posture: sitting or standing.
1. Pull out left hand in front of you, as if you were pointing at something at shoulder height.
2. Bend your left hand back so that your fingers point towards the ceiling.
3. Right hand gently pull back the fingers on your left hand, slightly bending the brush back.
Stay in this position for 10 seconds.
Repeat 5 times.
Purpose: stretching the extensor muscles of the wrist and fingers (muscles that pass through the carpal tunnel and enter the hand), increase blood flow through the vessels passing through the wrist and palm, and prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
"Raising the table top".
Posture: sitting.
1. Place your forearms on the armrests.
2. Place the brushes under the table top with palms up.
3. Press your palms against the inside surface of the tabletop. Don't actually lift the table, just tense the muscles in your forearm that make this move.
Tip: do not push too hard, the point of the exercise is to activate the muscles in order to strengthen them.
Stay in this position for 5 seconds.
Repeat 5 times.
Goal: Strengthen the extensor muscles of the wrist (muscles that run from the wrist up to inside elbow), prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome.
SOME DISEASES CAUSED BY INCORRECT BODY POSITION WHEN WORKING AT A COMPUTER
If your palms and wrists become numb and swollen after prolonged use of the keyboard, or if you feel pain or tingling in your thumb, index, and middle fingers, you should consult your physician or physical therapist. Symptoms like these can be a sign of a wrist injury called carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
The tendons of the muscles of the hand and the median nerve pass through the wrist, providing movement of the thumb, index and middle fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs as a result of a pinched median nerve caused by swelling of the tendons in the hand. The reason for this may be many hours of work with the wrong posture.
However, not all cases of wrist pain are due to CTS. Similar symptoms can be observed in diseases such as cervical disc herniation, thoracic outlet syndromes, and shoulder incarceration.
Herniated intervertebral discs of the cervical or lumbar can develop as a result of poor posture when working at a computer. If you constantly slouch, stoop or stretch your neck, the gelatinous substance of the intervertebral discs can bulge into the spinal canal and pinch the nerve fibers passing there. As a result, severe pain occurs, not only in the back, but also in other parts of the body.
Incorrect posture can also cause the development of thoracic inlet syndrome - an overstrain of the muscles of the neck, shoulder and chest, leading to a deterioration in blood supply and nerve impulses to the arms and hands. This causes hand numbness, tingling and pain.
Shoulder pinching occurs when tendons or ligaments shoulder joint compressed or pinched between the head of the humerus and the process of the scapula.
Tendovaginitis de Quervain - swelling and soreness in the tendon thumb brushes - often occurs as a result of frequent pressing the space bar with the thumb of one hand. To prevent the development of this disease, it is necessary to change the hand every hour, giving the tendons time to rest.
"Tennis elbow" - an occupational disease of tennis players - occurs as a result of inflammation of the common extensor tendon located near the elbow, due to their excessive load. "Tennis elbow" can develop as a result of improper hand position when working at a computer.
