Why Does My Back Hurt? 5 Reasons Your Body May Paying the Price for Working from Home

Achieve a Healthier, More Efficient Workday with an Ergonomic Office Chair and More from Our Kansas City Used Furniture Store

a black woman in a home office clutches her back in two different places

With remote work being the new normal, more and more employees are experiencing the painful consequences of prolonged sitting and poor posture. And while it’s easy to blame yourself for your pain, it really comes down to your office furniture. You’d be surprised what the proper furniture and a few adjustments can do.

The good news is that it’s easy to turn things around, starting with the furniture in your home office. Consider these five reasons working from home may be taking a toll on your body, and what you can do to create a more productive, pain-free workday using Kansas City used furniture.

1. Poor Posture

Working remotely allows you to work from anywhere at your convenience, meaning you can get things done from the kitchen table, chairs, or comfort of your couch. While this seems beneficial at first, it can actually be detrimental to your body and health. These locations encourage you to work in a slouched position, which puts strain on your neck, shoulders, and back.

Instead, opt for an ergonomic office chair and desk. Ergonomic furniture is specially and intentionally designed to provide the user with utmost comfort and efficiency. An ergonomic office chair supports good posture throughout the entire workday and can be adjusted to your exact measurements, keeping your body aligned and in a safe position.

2. Body Pain

Poor posture leads to chronic – or sometimes even more serious – pain in the neck, shoulders, and back. Because slouching moves your head forward, this puts a ton of stress onto these areas. This weight eight hours, five days a week can make your muscles fatigued, sore, and can even weaken them over time.

Luckily, ergonomic office chairs can nip this problem in the bud. A high-quality ergonomic office chair with lumbar support fills the gap between the lumbar spine and the seat, promoting good posture and preventing body pain from the get-go.

3. Insufficient Circulation

By working from home, you lose those quick walks from meeting to meeting, a coworker’s desk, or to the drinking fountain. This means you’re likely spending more time sitting down, which can reduce circulation throughout the body and cause a number of health concerns.

To increase blood flow, purchase an ergonomic office desk that allows you to stand up while you work. Standing improves circulation and reduces the chance of blood clots. It’s also important to take breaks from your desk and find time to stretch in between your to-do list to ensure you’re moving during the workday.

4. Eye Fatigue

Working from home can also increase the likelihood of vision problems and eye fatigue. In most work from home setups, the computer screen is placed too close to the eyes, causing them to feel sore, burn, and tired out. And because you aren’t attending your meetings face to face, this means you’re taking less breaks from the screen.

As you work from home, make sure your computer screen is about an arm’s length away from you. You can also reduce eye strain and protect your eyes by wearing bluelight glasses while you work. To get away from the screen, spend a few minutes outdoors or go on a quick walk around your neighborhood.

5. Wrist Strain

Insufficient office furniture can also put a harmful strain on the wrists. If your keyboard is at an upward angle or your office chair is sitting at the incorrect height, this forces your wrists into an uncomfortable position, potentially leading to more serious concerns later on, like carpal tunnel syndrome.

Because ergonomic furniture is completely adjustable, this gives you the ability to make sure your wrists are kept at a neutral and safe position. Just adjust the height of your ergonomic office chair so that your elbows are at a 90 degree angle and raise your desk until your forearms are parallel to it.

Shop New and Used Ergonomic Office Chairs and More at Santa Fe Office Interiors

At Santa Fe Office Interiors, we offer a vast selection of used furniture in Kansas City that can complete your at-home office. Shop our new and used office chairs, desks, storage, and more from the most trusted brands on today’s market.

Our 9,000 square foot showroom lets you see and test out our Kansas City used furniture for yourself. Our inventory is constantly changing and being updated with quality office chairs and desks, providing you with an endless supply of new and used furniture to choose from.

Once you find something you love at our showroom, you can take it home with you that same day! Or, if there’s limited space in your car, our flexible delivery options make furnishing your office hassle-free.

Ready to tour our showroom and check out our ergonomic office chairs and desks? Give us a call at (913) 901-8800. We can’t wait to hear from you soon!