Just 2 Minutes of Activity Can Help Ease Office Pains

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Office jobs do have perks, such as climate control on those hot and cold Minnesota days. But sitting at a desk in front of a computer isn't always healthy. However, a recent study shows just two minutes of daily exercise can provide "office pain" relief.

The World Congress of the American College of Sports Medicine found that office workers who do two minutes of exercise a day have lower levels of neck, shoulder and back pain.

Even though this doesn't sound like much, doctors say any sort of activity will help prevent these types of pain.

"I think the most important thing is just to be active. Humans are designed to be moving and not stagnant," said Dr. Adam Favro from Lyn-Lake Chiropractic in Minneapolis.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Samantha Smith Interviews Doctors On Office Pains

Favro and his colleagues encourage white collar workers to get up and move around as much as possible and say simple neck and shoulder stretches can also be helpful.

In addition to exercise, being comfortable at work is also important.

"Trying to stay in as neutral of a position as you can with your head looking straight forward at the monitor, not cranked over to once side compared to the other. Not reaching a long way for your mouse and your keyboard, that sort of thing" said Dr. Steve Eckstein. 

"A nice chair is important. Most people are sitting for such long periods that you better be comfortable and you better be set up so that your posture doesn't suffer because of the equipment that you're using," he added.

"Also, the monitor should be 18 to 24 inches away from your face and your eyes should be level with the top one third of the monitor," said Favro. 

Dr. Kevin Schreifels, owner of Lyn-Lake Chiropractic, said they often see the same patients with the same problems.

"It's funny because we keep telling them to go back to work and make adjustments to their screens and things but we keep getting the same people coming back," Schreifels said.

Favro said pain is the "last resort" for our bodies and the goal is to make the necessary adjustments before things start to hurt.