All day long at the table, on the couch or in bed: More and more people are working from home.
This often causes back pain.
Spine experts clarify.
District
- Since the beginning of the home office era, complaints about back pain have been increasing, the specialists observe.
Ralf Baumann (48), managing director and spine specialist of the physiotherapy of the same name in Poing and Forstinning, says on the phone: "I can see very clearly that the number of patients with back problems has increased." Only the registrations for therapeutic device training on prescription have since then first lockdown doubled.
The physiotherapist sees the reason for this in the fact that people do not use suitable office furniture at home.
On hard kitchen furniture, immobile living room chairs or the couch, ergonomic work that is compatible with the spine is not possible.
+
Petra Schüller, spinal column specialist at Baumann Physiotherapy
© Johannes Dziemballa
According to his colleague and Vice-Managing Director Petra Schüller (46), it starts when you don't have to commute to work: “People no longer walk to the train station or ride their bikes to work.” In the home office, all of this disappears - no movement.
Ralf Baumann treats back pain patients with a three-step program: stretching units, strengthening the "muscle opponent" and finally endurance training.
Depending on the case, the treatment lasts from a few days to several weeks.
Shoulder, neck and headache
It is similar with the physiotherapist Silvester Senger (28) from Senger's Physiotherapy in Grafing.
Around ten to 15 percent more patients with back problems have come to him since the first lockdown.
The wrong workplace design - mostly in the form of a laptop that is placed too low - leads, according to him, to increased pain in the shoulder and neck because of the constant looking down.
The result is often headaches.
"Often the patients come with a prescription from the doctor for six hours of physiotherapy," says Senger.
“That alone achieves too little.” That is why he increasingly instructs his customers with daily exercises for the home office.
"We try to support the patients in such a way that they can take the initiative," says the 28-year-old.
He is happy to recommend a "Black Roll", a small foam roller that can be used to perform many different stretching exercises.
Health insurance offer: Cyberfitness
Bernhard Niggl, managing director of Barmer Krankenkasse in Ebersberg, also hopes that people will exercise at home.
The health insurance company offers its members free "cyberfitness", ie videos on the Internet to imitate, as well as training apps.
He has not yet been able to determine in the health insurance company's database that the niggles are getting more.
“But we don't yet know how many people have back problems but have not yet come out,” says Niggl.
He advertises the "Kaia" back app, which is free for many insured persons and enables training under the guidance of a smartphone.
The health insurer himself had good experiences with her when he tore his back while shoveling snow.
Practice exercises at home
Daniel Sturm from Physiotherapy Baumann reveals an exercise for expanding the functional area of the spine to imitate at home: “Put your hands on the same side on the neck, the elbows point forward.
Now draw an imaginary circle in the air with your elbows.
The movement takes place from the spine, if possible.
With the ten to 20 circles, the radius may be larger and the direction may be changed over time.
The back muscles learn to stabilize the upper body against gravity in the new functional area. "
+
Daniel Sturm during the exercise to expand the functional area of the spine
© Johannes Dziemballa
And an exercise for better hip mobility: “Place your forefoot behind your body on a seat.
Push the pelvis forward until you feel a stretch on the front of the thighs or in the groin.
Then do ten to 20 squats with your front leg.
The muscles of the back leg learn to stabilize the hips in this new position.
Before it comes to the second page, take a few steps to notice the difference between the legs. "
Stay up to date with the Ebersberger Zeitung
