Working in an office is a generally safe place, and of course your employer has a duty under law to make sure that you are provided with safe working environment. What your employer can’t rule out however is the chances of you developing a chronic condition due to the way you work, e.g. developing repetitive strain injury (RSI) or lower back pain. Awareness is key.
Another condition which is linked with office-based work is carpal tunnel syndrome. We know less about this, so let’s do a quick run down of what it is.
Carpel tunnel syndrome, shortened to CTS, is when the nerve in your wrist is compressed. This causes pain, numbness and a tingling sensation in your fingers and your whole hand. It can also cause a problem with being able to grip things effectively.
CTS is less common than RSI, but it is still a problem. The only way to really treat it is to stop what is causing the pressure, e.g. use a keyboard support whilst sat at your contemporary office desk, or be mindful of the way you’re typing. Check out this video for a few ideas of exercises to help.
Modern office chairs are generally ergonomic these days, and even those that aren’t are designed with health in mind. You should also be careful of developing lower back pain as another chronic issue, so think about using foot rests and ensure that your executive home office desk is geared up for support, and not just fashion!
Have you ever suffered from CTS? Let us know your experiences!