Back pain from Computer Use

Back pain frequently arises from extended periods of holding fixed postures in computer use. For computer users, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) is a real danger. Its effects can become chronic and you don’t generally see that coming!

Back pain diagnosis

Back pain can be an indication of sometimes serious medical conditions and not related to your posture so you should always seek professional medical advice from a Doctor or a Physiotherapist to diagnose your condition.

Ask yourself this:-

• Does your day involve sitting or standing for long periods?
• Do you use computers, drive or use equipment that forces you to be in a fix posture for lengthy spells most days?

RSI causes of back pain?

If you are not able to change your posture or move your position or limbs every few minutes your muscles and tendons will become fatigued and then painful. Tendons are the elastic connectors between your muscles and your bones.

Back pain treatment for RSI conditions

Our back pain advice for RSI conditions focuses on:-

Preventing further back injury

Concentrate on reducing fixed posture stresses you encounter through the day where possible.

• If you’re a PC user then undoubtedly an ergonomic vertical mouse will reduce the stresses that can create pain from your neck down to your hands. Have you had a Display Screen Assessment to optimise your working position to reduce RSI dangers?
• If you carry a laptop to and from work, then consider using a wheeled laptop bag to reduce the twisting strains on your shoulder that create back pain.
• If you drive, can you find ways of breaking journeys for a minute or so that you can get out of the car to move your body around a bit before continuing?

Physical therapy to improve your back

Frequent physiotherapy will help you turn your muscles and tendons back to their ‘design’ condition for your age. Of course, this isn’t just someone else doing this for you, you have to work at prescribed exercises every day and use available tools and aids to help you.

Vibration therapy is used by physiotherapists to good effect. The principle is that the vibrations cause your muscles to react against the machine’s movements by contracting, stretching tendons and increasing blood flow and blood oxygenation. This strengthens and tones muscles and tendons without any effort on your part!

Our founder makes much use of vibration tools and takes a the handheld massager with him in the car with a power inverter so he can plug it in… see our vibration therapy tools page for more information.

Vibration Therapy Buying Guide

Alternative back pain therapies

Some Doctors are more open minded about alternative therapies and even alternative diagnosis.

• Alexander Technique can be appropriate in reducing ongoing muscular tension, which is conventionally considered to be the cause of most RSI conditions.
• MindBody (Tension Myositis Syndrome) Treatment can be liberating and is highly recommended for those with diagnosed RSI conditions who are looking into the future with some gloom