Covinjury Warning Given to Workers at Home

Covinjury Warning Given to Workers at Home

A couch is not an ergonomic option for working from home long-term. Picture: Herald Sun

An Australian physiotherapist has warned people casualties are growing as a result of working from home during the pandemic.

Physiotherapist Claudia Didyk, a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, says the range of complaints is all connected.

According to the daily, Victoria-based Herald Sun, makeshift workstations inevitably take their toll on backs, hips, shoulders and necks. “Everyone has a colleague, friend or family member with a “covinjury” caused by pandemic posture, bad habits acquired in lockdown or the loss of incidental exercise,” Didyk said.

“The bottom line—pun intended—is that those hastily installed temporary solutions have to change if workers plan a more permanent move. The couch is not a viable centre of operations. Even without a spare room or study, a long-term workstation requires demarcation and proper equipment.”

Didyk provided tips for a healthy, ergonomic work-from-home (WFH) lifestyle that will avoid covinjury from occurring:

1. workstation: Set up properly if you’re planning to WFH long-term and it may be a legitimate business tax deduction as well;
2. move more: If you are not getting the incidental exercise as a result of your commute you should set an alarm on your computer or phone to remind you every 30 minutes to get up, walk around, do a chore or a few neck stretches;
3. people power: Escape the screen for face-to-face interactions in your neighbourhood. Human contact, even contactless, is vital for mental health;
4. sweat: Exercise is not the same thing as simply moving your limbs. Plan regular, dedicated exercise, whether that’s a brisk walk, a bike ride, a swim or a class. If you are nursing a covinjury, see a physio and plan what you can safely manage.

RT Media’s resident cartoonist, Berto, has imagined how working from home could be a real pain in the neck, or back!

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