Sitting in front of the computer for a long time can be harmful, both physically and emotionally. Muscle injuries are the result of alterations on both fronts.
The usual working day is 8 hours, which translates into about 40 hours at work per week. Despite presenting breaks for food and other small periods of relaxation, many of the current tasks are performed in front of a computer, which generates various physiological effects on the individual. Unfortunately, an adult spends, on average, about 10 hours a day sitting in the same position.
There is no doubt that this sedentary lifestyle takes its toll. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 39% of the world’s population is overweight or obese, that is, about 1,200 million people. Compared to 1975, this value has tripled. Things do not improve visually because, in part, our relationship with screens and other pathologies have caused some 1,300 million patients around the world to show some type of visual disability.
However, there is no need to despair after discovering this data. Knowing the possible risks of our sedentary lifestyle is the first step toprevent possible problems from arising. Therefore, today we invite you to read what are the most common muscle injuries when working in front of a PC.
- We recommend you read: “8 muscle problems derived from the use of the smartphone”
The problem of sitting for a long time
As you can imagine, the computer screen itself affects vision, but not directly to the body muscles. At the eye level, excessive exposure to PC can cause blurred vision (which fluctuates from far to near), low visual acuity at long distance, double vision, tearing, stress, eye tiredness, mental fatigue, headaches and other general discomforts.
More than exposure to the computer, the problem of working in front of a PC at the muscular level is posture and sitting. As indicated by the Mayo Clinic, various negative effects can appear after too long periods in this position. Some of them are as follows:
- A sedentary lifestyle increases the chances of obesity. This prolonged state translates into an increased risk of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, cancer and premature cellular aging, among other things.
- Hypertension: this is a pathology characterized by high systolic pressure (greater than or equal to 130 mm Hg). It appears with severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, confusion, vision changes, and nosebleeds.
- Diabetes: Type 2 is much more common, in which the body resists the effects of insulin or does not produce enough. This raises the blood sugar content.
- Annoying physical imbalances, such as hemorrhoids.
- Cardiovascular pathologies: it is not entirely proven, but it also seems that sitting too long causes cardiovascular problems and more risk of some cancers, such as colorectal.
What are the typical muscle injuries from being in front of the computer too long?
As you can see, the list of damages is very large. In any case, this does not mean that spending 8 hours sitting a day will be a sentence in all cases. If you stay until the end, you will see how there are some small gestures that can be made to avoid damage in these postures. For now, we show you the most common muscle injuries when working in front of a PC.
1. Epicondylitis
Also known as tennis disease, it is a lesion characterized by pain on the outside of the elbow, in the region of the epicondyle (hence its name). It is a painful inflammation in the tendons and muscles of the region, due to overexertion and repeated tension on the outside of the elbow. Due to this continuous stress, a tension takes place at the insertion points of the tendons of the bone.
There are a total of 3 phases of pain and, although it is associated with exercises such as tennis or paddle tennis, this discomfort can also be triggered by being too long in front of the computer in an inadequate posture. Magnetotherapy, physiotherapy, the application of ice and the consumption of analgesics can help alleviate the effects of this unpleasant injury.
2. Low back pain
As you know, low back pain is a pain located in the lower back, which can occur acutely (limited) or chronic (long-term). The total incidence is estimated at 60-90%, meaning thatup to 9 out of 10 people worldwide will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Luckily, 80-90% of these pains are transient, while 10% will accompany the patient for long and indeterminate periods.
One of the most common causes of low back pain is strain on a ligament or muscle in the back. A muscle stretch in the lower part of the spine can cause microcracks and injuries in these structures, which generate the pain previously described. Being seated with the back arched for a long time greatly promotes the appearance of low back pain, as it is a posture that implies a marked mechanical stress. Postural correction is the best prevention to avoid acute low back pain: remember to sit with your back straight, with a correct angle of support that allows you to rest the spine.
3. Tension headaches
Although it may not seem like it, sometimes, muscle discomfort causes headaches prolonged over time. Tension headaches occur when the muscles of the neck and scalp contractin response to stress, depression, head trauma, anxiety or poor posture that compromise the neck musculature.
The joint action of work stress together with poor posture can lead to headaches. These can be of the sinuses, in outbreaks (concentrated on only one eye), by tension (as if a band tightens the patient around the head) and migraine type. You can differentiate a headache from another type of headache because, in general, when you touch a muscle of the face / neck / back, you will notice it sore and stiff.
To avoid suffering tension headaches due to muscle contractures, remember to use de-stressing techniques, take a leisurely breath and, if your emotions are beyond your control, go to a specialist. It is never bad to seek emotional help to avoid physiological symptoms.
What to do to avoid this type of ailment?
As we promised you at first, here are some tips to avoid the ailments exposed above. Specialized portals (such as the Mayo Clinic) show us that itis possible to avoid muscle injuries on a day-to-day basis with some small modifications, such as the following:
- Stand up every 30 minutes if you work in a fixed position in the office. You don’t need to stretch (although better if you can do them).
- Get in the habit of answering the phone or watching TV standing up, even if it’s just for a little while.
- Propose the placement of high tables in your work environment. This will help you not to arch your back involuntarily.
- Walk with your classmates when it comes to meeting and sharing ideas, instead of sitting in a room.
- If you work from home, place your work surface on a treadmill, with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or vertical desk specially prepared for use on the treadmill.
These small behavioral changes, however trivial, will help you a lot at times like these, where a sedentary lifestyle is sometimes an obligation. Remember to stay active as much as possible, because your body of the future will thank you.
Summary
As you may have seen, with a few small gestures it is possible to improve the integrity of the muscles and the spine in general. If you take them into account, we assure you that you will notice how your physical well-being improves at the end of the day.
It is also necessary to emphasize that, in these cases, it is just as important to preserve the body as the mind. Sometimes contractures arise simply from stress and anxiety, so do not neglect your emotional situation. If you see that the situation exceeds you, do not hesitate to go to a specialist.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
