What Is Office Syndrome And How To Prevent It

If you work in an office, you probably know shoulder pain and a sore back just too well. Especially after a long day at work. These symptoms could indicate that you suffer from Office Syndrome. We explain to you, why you shouldn’t ignore it and what you can do to prevent it.

If you have a sedentary lifestyle and spend most of your days at your desk, you are at risk to develop Office Syndrome: It often starts harmless, but over time the pain and soreness in your spine and muscles can increase and result in chronic pain, abnormalities in the spine and intervertebral disc disease. So if you have some warning signs for Office Syndrome, you shouldn’t ignore them and instead take action.

Symptoms of Office Syndrome

At first, you might just brush your lower back pain and stiff neck off, thinking it is not that bad. However, over time your symptoms will get worse and when left untreated they can become very serious. So you should never ignore the early signs for Office syndrome. These are:

• Weak eyes, due to squinting at the computer screen
• Headaches or migraines
• Neck pain
• Dizziness
• Chronic muscle pain
• Lower back pain
• Tightness around the shoulder area
• Pain in your arms and wrists

Besides these physical symptoms, there are also emotional ones: If you encounter feelings of sadness, exhaustion and extreme tiredness, depression and anxiety on top of your physical symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

Causes of Office Syndrome

One of the causes of Office Syndrome is sitting in the same position for several hours. In addition, sitting cross-legged can cause further problems, because the upper leg continuously applies weight to the other. This affects the condition of your spine.

From an early age we are told that a good posture is very important, yet we often sit hunchbacked or slouching forward. Yet, a bad posture is one of the main causes. Same goes for sitting or standing with your arms folded and standing with the weight on one side of your body.

Other causes can be sleeping curled up on your side, sitting up in bed for a long period of time (e.g. while reading), carrying your bag on one shoulder and wearing heels that are more than 4 centimetres high. They all affect your spine and can lead to severe neck and back pain. 

How to prevent Office Syndrome

As you can see, there are a lot of causes for Office Syndrome, however, there are also ways to prevent it. Some small changes in your office setting can already help. These are:

• Proper furniture: Invest in an ergonomic chair that supports your lower back. 
• Reposition your computer screen: Make sure your screen is set a little over your eyeline and is positioned an arms-length away. 
• Change your position: Make sure to change your sitting position every twenty to thirty minutes.
• Move and stretch: Try to move every hour. Take short walks around the office and stretch out your arms, hands, wrist and legs. Some simple exercises can also help.
• Sit up: A bad posture is the main reason for office syndrome, so try to sit with a straight posture and don’t sit on the edge of your seat. Make sure your back is connected to your chair.
• Give your eyes a rest: Every ten minutes you should give your eyes a little rest from the computer screen. So look up and out of the window, to make sure your eyes don’t get tired and sore.
• Work in proper lighting: This also helps your eyes tremendously. 

Further, you should add some changes to your life outside the office. Make sure you exercise regularly: Light weight training at the gym can help prevent back pain and improve your posture. Yoga and Pilates are also very good for your posture, because they work the right muscle groups and help stretch out your whole body. So stay active as much as you can to prevent Office Syndrome.

In addition, you should consider massage to help you release any tightness and pain. Regular sessions are a great addition to exercise. You can even get a Office Syndrome massage, that is specifically designed for it.

At RLAX we can offer you our Office Syndrome massage. Our fully trained and friendly therapists can come directly to your office or condo. RLAX delivers wellness on demand in Thailand, the perfect massage brought to your door. Treat yourself and book a relaxing massage right away.