How to Overcome Costly Work-From-Home Injuries
Is your work-from-home (WFH) arrangement getting less temporary by the day? If there’s a good chance your employer is going to make their WFH policies permanent, you’re going to have to invest in your at-home office.
That’s because your ad-hoc workstation at the kitchen table or living room couch can be a literal pain in the neck. What worked temporarily as a short-term solution to the pandemic can pose a safety risk if you stick with them permanently.
The Most Common Work-From-Home Injuries
Unlike many sports injuries that happen in an instant, most WFH injuries result from repetitive strain. Over time, the cumulative effect of this strain adds up until you reach your breaking point.
Here are some of the most common repetitive strain injuries that can result from your at-home office.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Inflammation of your median nerve in your wrist causes pain, tingling, and weakness in your hand.
Tendonitis: Tendonitis causes painful inflammation around your wrist and elbow tendons.
Computer or Mouse Elbow: Similar to tennis elbow, mouse elbow is a repetitive strain injury affecting the muscles, tendons, and nerves from your elbow to your hand.
Sciatica: Sitting poorly can pinch or irritate the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down to each leg.
Lower Backpain: Poor posture at the computer can lead to annoying aches and pains or worse — you can suffer from knots, sprains, and herniated discs.
Neck and Shoulder Strain: Hunching over a keyboard and leaning toward your screen puts pressure on your neck and shoulders.
Can You Afford Medical Treatment?
Repetitive strain injuries can get so painful they prevent you from living your life to its fullest. But there’s another reason why you should invest in an ergonomic WFH setup.
Sometimes, you can tough it out and work through a sore muscle, but a bad case of sciatica or carpal tunnel needs professional attention. Unfortunately, medical treatment can be expensive. Unexpected doctor’s fees, anti-inflammatory drugs, lab tests, and physical therapy add up.
Having an emergency fund or health insurance can help you handle these costs. But what can you do if your deductible is higher than you expected, or your emergency fund is a little anemic? You need a backup plan when these things don’t work.
So, what’s a good safety net when things go wrong? You can go to a website like MoneyKey to learn more about online loans like installment loans and lines of credit. These online loans may be a backup when you’re stuck paying emergency expenses out of pocket.
How to Prevent At-Home Injuries
Knowing how and where to get loans online gives you peace of mind in an emergency. But whether you rely on savings or online loans, wouldn’t it be easier to avoid the emergency altogether?
Here are some subtle changes to the way you work that protect your joints and ligaments so that you don’t have to pay for costly healthcare in the first place.
Get a Padded Chair
You can find ergonomic chairs that will support your back’s natural curve. Just make sure to measure it before you buy it so that you can fit your legs under your desk.
Mind Your Knees
Your lower body is just as important as your back when it comes to comfort. You’ll want to adjust your chair (or use a step stool) to ensure your knees line up with your hips.
Adjust Your Monitor
Eliminate neck and shoulder strain by moving your computer screen about an arm’s length from your face, just below your line of sight.
Protect Your Wrists
You can protect your wrists by adjusting your keyboard so that your wrists and elbows align while you’re typing or using the mouse.
Stay Active
Getting up to stretch your legs can help you prevent injuries. Simple stretches, quick yoga routines, and short walks around the block can help you work out the kinks and help boost your mood.
Invest in Your Workspace
A temporary spot at the kitchen table might have worked for a little while, but the longer you stay there — working for eight hours at a time — the more likely you’ll suffer from a repetitive strain injury.
Now that you’re certain you’ll be working from home on a permanent basis, it’s time to take your home office seriously. Invest in your workstation, and you’ll prevent injury, avoid pain, and save money.
