Certain professions come with serious demands on the body. Sports fans rarely feel surprised when a football player undergoes physical therapy due to injuries from years on the gridiron. The friends and family of a construction worker suffering from back problems wouldn't be surprised either. People close to someone who works on a computer all day, however, could be shocked at his/her injury risks. Sad to say, a person working at the computer might also be stunned to learn about potential injury risks. Perhaps checking out "minor" computer-related injuries and undergoing physical therapy at an early stage could reduce the long-term worsening of injuries.
The Slow Burn Towards Trauma
Working at a computer all day doesn't exactly cause serious injuries on day one. As days add up and turn into years, collective minor trauma potentially leads to a serious condition. Consistently maintaining poor posture while working at a computer -- dubbed "text neck" -- can lead to neck and spine problems. The possibility of other health issues also exists. Allowing the problem to go untreated for many years could cause worse physical ailments.
A Visit to the Doctor
Desk and computer workers who feel aches and pains commonly make the mistake of personally misdiagnosing their problems. Worse, they may self-medicate excessively with over-the-counter medications. A better strategy would be to visit a primary care physician for a proper examination of the injury. The doctor may even request x-rays. Depending on the outcome of the examination, the doctor could suggest physical therapy as a treatment strategy.
Working with a Physical Therapist
A physical therapist performs a thorough examination of your condition. Afterward, he/she recommends exercises and runs you through them. Conveying information to a physical therapist might improve the chances of the sessions delivering results. Do you have pictures of on your cell phone showing you at your desk? The pictures could prove enlightening to the therapist. He/she may be able to pinpoint postural problems based on the images. This could help with choosing appropriate treatment exercises.
Beware of Online Exercises
The internet presents numerous "helpful" exercises for text neck. Picking and choosing exercises on your own, however, might turn out to be a big mistake. A physical therapist's training allows him/her to pick the right exercises for a client. The physical therapist also knows how to properly instruct the exercises -- the DIY approach can't do this. In fact, attempts at self-treatment run the risk of worsening an injury. Contact a physical therapist in your area, or consult with professionals like those at Hands-On Physical Therapy for more information.
