Working from Home

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Is working from home being a pain in the neck? We are here to help.

In light of the restrictions of COVID-19 many Australians have started working from home. In the clinic, we are seeing a wave of individuals with aches and pains due to working from home. More noticeably neck pain and headaches are conditions that are becoming more frequent.

Why am I getting headaches?

Headaches can come from many different sources but a common cause comes from your neck- often as a result of sustained poor postures. These headaches- known as cervicogenic headaches are treatable and preventable with the right information. With a large percentage of the workforce working from home during this time of self-isolation, change of routine and undesirable work setups at home can result in neck pain and headaches.

Tips for avoiding neck pain and headaches

Here are some tips to try and reduce the development of headaches and neck pain:

  • Make sure your computer set-up mimics yours at work and is ergonomically correct. It is essential that the monitor height is at eye level and you have a good, supportive chair at the right height to the desk. Having a good environment encourages good postures and reduces overload to the neck and shoulders.
  • Take regular breaks. Sitting for prolonged periods of time can overload your neck and upper back muscles and give you pain. Set an alarm to help remind you to get up and move around often and incorporating stretching of the area can help keep muscles loose and feeling good. Take short walks throughout the day, go outside- not just back and forth from the fridge or cupboard for snacks!
  • Daily exercise. At the beginning of each day it is important to spend 30-60 minutes exercising. This is different from regular movement as it is designed to work the body more intensely. This both immediately limbers up the body and prevents physical deconditioning-important factors in alleviating neck pain.
  • Seek help if needed. If you are having trouble with your at-home set up, reach out to us and we can help you. Our physiotherapy team is available for online bookings which means we can have a look directly at your set up and modify it if needed. We can also provide you with further information to address any issues you may be having and potentially prevent an injury occurring.

Persistent headaches and pain… now what?

If you are already experiencing neck pain and headaches from your change in workplace environment, an adaptation of your work station is a good start but you may also need treatment to alleviate your pain. Manual therapy is a highly effective treatment tool which we use to treat headaches. Clinically we see a high success rate with this type of treatment. Book an appointment and come in to see our skilled team of physiotherapists. We remain open and are adhering to the strict COVID protection guidelines to keep us and the public safe during your visit.