TomNuzum.com
TomNuzum.com

What Does 2021 Not Need? Pandemic Back Pain

I am seeing a number of people suffering from pandemic back pain. Pandemic back pain is mechanical back pain caused by a decrease in activity, an increase in sitting, and primarily caused by a significant increase in time spent at a desk at a screen usually on a zoom call.

These people are suffering from pandemic back pain because they are not moving for extended periods of time. They are locked into extended screen time actively working to pay attention. They are not walking to the printer. They are not walking to a coworker desk or from classroom to classroom. They get locked into their chairs and then they bend and twist on a fixed chair. The chair rotates rocks, and pivots but they are moving at their back instead of moving at the chair.

They are locking into place on their chairs so they can be motionless on the screen. They must appear to be focused entirely on the screen and motionless on the webcam to not draw attention to themselves.

I am tired of the pandemic for thousands of reasons. I am tired of pandemic back pain because I have to help people break months of habits, move better, and move more often. So please move.

Try the pomodoro technique: Work for 25 minutes and take a 5 minute break. Get up and do something else. Then do it again with 25 minutes of focused work and a 5 minute break. Set an actual timer. My bet is you will be looking at the timer and unable to do focused work on a single task for more than 5 minutes.

We need to change your flexibility, movement patterns, posture, and joint mobility to fix your back pain. Taking a break more often and getting out of the chair and away from the screen will get you there sooner.