If you’re working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you need to have a work space that’s doesn’t cause pain or discomfort in your back, neck or legs, a spine specialist says.
“Most couches may not provide the same type of support and contour as an ergonomic office chair, so your back and neck may stay in a fixed, stressed position for a long period of time, creating strain on certain tissues that can then cause pain,” said Dr. Wyatt Kupperman, an assistant professor of psychical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
If you don’t have an ergonomic office chair at home, place household items such as a towel, pillow or paper towel roll on a chair to provide lumbar support while working at a desk, table or counter. It’s best to use a chair that has both support and cushioning.
Maintain proper posture by sitting in your chair all the way back to where your feet are flat on the floor or supported slightly in front of you, Kupperman said.
