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How to Prevent Back Pain at Work

August 9, 2019 | Tips & Trends
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Man grabbing lower back showing red around spine

Work can sometimes be a pain in the neck, but it doesn’t have to become a nagging pain in your back.

Whether you work at a desk job or one that requires physical activity, there are ways to protect your back and in this blog post, we’re offering four helpful tips to prevent workplace back pain.

Maintain good posture

No matter if your job requires manual labor or you work in an office, good posture is perhaps the most important measure that you can take to prevent back pain and avoid injury.

When lifting a heavy object…

  • Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Squat down and bend at the knees, not the waist.
  • Hold the object close to your body and slowly lift up by straightening your legs and keeping your back straight.
  • Avoid twisting while lifting.

When sitting at a desk all day…

  • Adjust the height of your chair so that your knees are bent and in line with your hips and your feet are flat on the floor.
  • Sit up straight and relax your shoulders.
  • Adjust your monitor so that the screen is at eye level or a few inches above to relieve tension in your neck.

Get moving

Repetitive movements or staying in one place too long can cause stiffness and lead to back pain. That’s why it’s important for you to take time throughout your day to get moving.

Regular exercise whether it’s yoga, strength training, or even a brisk walk on your lunch break can help improve your posture, increase flexibility, and relieve any tension in your back.

Listen to your body

Far too often we push ourselves to the limits to meet a deadline or finish a job and more times than not it comes at the expense of our own health and wellbeing.

That’s why it’s important for you to take breaks throughout the day to prevent unnecessary back pain.

Whether it’s a quick lap around the building or taking a few minutes for yourself, switching up what you’re doing can help relieve the tension that’s being placed on your back.

Educate yourself

If you’ve experienced back pain before in your life, you know nagging pain can derail your productivity.

A major component of battling back pain is learning how to prevent it. And that’s where our talented and knowledgeable physical therapists can step in and help.

Physical therapy will provide you with the knowledge you need to stabilize your back muscles, strengthen your core, and focus on improving your mobility by learning helpful exercises and stretches.

Back pain, if left untreated, will not only affect your performance at work but also your quality of life outside of your 9 – 5.

If you want to learn more about how to prevent or manage workplace back pain, find a Phoenix Physical Therapy location near you.

UnitedHealthcare Pilot Program

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) recently announced the launch of a FREE pilot program for anyone suffering from lower back pain.

UHC will waive the cost of copays and deductibles for three physical therapy visits to help manage and ease the symptoms associated with lower back pain.

This pilot program is applicable to our Phoenix locations in Georgia and North Carolina.

Georgia:

Crabapple Village

Johns Creek

North Carolina:

Charlotte

Harrisburg

The entire Phoenix Physical Therapy Team is committed to providing our patients with quality physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a safe and healthy clinic environment. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, WHO and public health officials to update you as new information becomes available. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and healthy.

The safety of our patients, communities and team members remains our top priority. We know you have a choice in your care providers and appreciate your commitment to Phoenix and our qualified clinicians.

Here are the actions we have taken to keep our patients, communities and team healthy & safe:

  • Flexible scheduling allows for social distancing
  • Regular cleaning and sanitation of all clinic surfaces
  • Facemasks must be worn by all Phoenix staff and are recommended for all patients
  • Screening questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering clinics
  • 6 feet of social distancing throughout the clinics

Keeping Our Clinics Safe

Here are some tips on how we can keep each other safe:

  • Handwashing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, or are experiencing shortness of breath. If a patient shows up with symptoms, the clinic team will work with them to reschedule.
  • Be vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance from the CDC website and our Travel Guidelines.

Here are actions we are taking to keep our clinics clean and safe:

  • Equipment will be wiped down after EVERY use with antibacterial wipes/sprays
  • All surfaces that patients or staff may touch including door handles, countertops, seating, pens at sign-in, bathroom and all other common areas will be disinfected regularly
  • Treatment tables will be 6 feet apart
  • Team members will wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezin
  • Clinics will have hand sanitizer available at the front desk and in the treatment areas
  • Any Phoenix team members who are ill will be asked to stay home
  • We will maintain social distancing between patients in the clinic
  • Caregivers that are bringing a patient to the clinic should wait in their car or come back when the appointment has ended unless necessary (i.e. minor requiring a guardian or for assistance needs)
  • When possible, we will treat patients in private rooms to increase social distancing
  • Any patients that have underlying health issues (i.e. diabetes, respiratory problems, etc.) will be given the option to be seen during special clinic hours or can opt to be treated in a private room away from other clinicians and patients
  • All patients should be self-screening before entering the clinic. Our PCCs will perform a secondary screening during the check-in process and before patients enter the clinic including a screening questionnaire and temperature check.
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