Many people suffer from back, neck, and muscle pain. In fact, these are some of the most common conditions that individuals have to deal with on a daily basis. But in addition to making you feel miserable, what’s the actual economic cost of spinal problems? Keep reading to learn more.
A Lot of Lost Days from Work
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) stated that nearly 31 million workdays were lost in 2013 in the UK as a result of workers suffering from back problems, neck pain, and muscle ailments. This research was found after conducting polls with hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout the UK.
It was also concluded that musculoskeletal conditions accounted for higher numbers of prolonged absences. This was in comparison to all other ailments.
On the flipside, minor illnesses, including the common cold or common cough, only accounted for about 27 million days lost from work. It also became clear that musculoskeletal ailments are more likely to develop into chronic conditions, and they also have a higher recurrence rate.
All of these lost days from work caused a heavy economic burden that resulted in an average loss of £200bn per year.
Sitting and Harmful Office Environments
It turns out that office environments can be quite harmful, as they force workers to sit for extended periods. This sedentary lifestyle can result in pain throughout the body, from the muscles to the back and neck. If upheld for long periods of time, it can even lead to chronic pain (most commonly chronic lower back pain, CLBP in short).
In addition to spending hours in a seated position, many workers are also often lax when it comes to preventative measures like keeping desks, computers, and chairs at the right height. A lot of workers neglect these guidelines and end up making repetitive movements while maintaining a poor posture at their desks.
This, in turn, leads to stiffness and pain that causes these workers to take time off to recover.
Other Problems That Can Arise
Back pain (especially chronic back pain and low back pain) doesn’t just affect your physically, but it can also have an impact on your mental wellbeing, causing addition indirect costs to the economy. When you deal with pain throughout your body, other problems are likely to arise, such as depression, which accounts for around 15 million lost workdays.
These extra problems are likely to occur because many people simply don’t take action fast enough to correct their pain. After symptoms are felt, people are often slow to do anything about it.
Steps to Reduce Pain
If you have to work at a desk, there are steps you can take for pain management, or even treatment. These can help reduce the occurrence of neck, back, and muscle pain. Take breaks often, making sure to move around and stretch.
Getting the body moving can be enhanced by the use of a standing desk, which allows you to get out of the typical seated position most people are in while working at their computers.
Exercising after work, getting massages or chiropractic adjustments, and using products like the Backrack are also great ways to reduce pain and keep your body in better condition.
Try Backrack Spinal Decompression Therapy!
If you’re an employer worried about the economic impact you’d incur if your employees take time off because of back, neck, and muscle pain. Encourage them to use standing desks, take breaks, and take care of themselves while they work. This not only helps with any cost effectiveness worries of the institution or business, but it benefits everyone.
Author: Spinal Backrack
