Back and neck problems

Back and neck problems are the commonest musculoskeletal problems in office workers. The problems of spine problems are usually multi-factorial involve mostly soft tissues in the spine which include protruded discs, facet joint or sacroiliac joint dysfunction or muscle overuse.

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Symptoms of Neck Dysfunction                                                               

•         Decrease in range of motion of cervical spine

•         Pain in neck or interscapular region in movement

•         Increase in muscle tension or soreness in neck or shoulder muscles

•         Headache and dizziness

•         Decrease or absence of reflexes in upper limb

•         Sensation of pins and needles or numbness in upper limbs

•         Weakness in the muscles of upper limbs

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Symptoms of Back Dysfunction

•         Decrease in range of motion and pain in back in movement

•         Increase in muscle tension or muscle soreness

•         Back pain after prolonged standing, sitting or walking

•         Sciatica: Pain along the back of lower limb

•         Decrease or absence of reflexes in lower limbs

•         Decrease in balance or co-ordination of trunk

•         Sensation of pins and needles or numbness in upper limbs

•         Weakness in the muscles of upper limbs

•         Incontinence

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Common causes of neck or back dysfunction

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Poor posture in sitting or standing

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Poor posture subjects the spine to abnormal stress. Abnormal stress over time can lead to structural changes in the spine, including degeneration of disks and joints, lengthening or shortening of the supportive ligaments and muscles, and wear and tear of cartilage. All of these structural changes can lead to pain.
Sit improperly , for example, looking at the screen at a poking chin posture, can lead to compression of facet joints of the cervical spine. It can cause neck pain, headache or dizziness. It can also cause back pain as the lumber lordosis is lost
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Working in flexed or rotated neck for long hours which cause overuse of neck muscles

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Old injury to soft tissues

Old injury to soft tissues without proper rehabilitation will subject the soft tissues to low capacity to loading. It may also decrease the strength of the deep muscles of the spine due to prolonged inactivity. Both will make the spine more prone to recurrent injury.

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Overuse, degeneration or disease to vertebral column

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Overuse can be caused by prolonged sustained posture. Therefore, changing position and mini-break in between working hours are important. Degeneration is not only related to age. For people who often do heavy lifting will prone to have faster degeneration in their back.

Diseases related to spine include scoliosis. A soliosis is present when there is a curve of the spine to one side. Sometimes two curves in opposite directions may be present. There is often abnormal rotation of the spine as well as the curve. It can be congenital or habitual in origin.

Adopted from chirotip.com

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Obesity

People with obesity will get back pain more easily because there is increase in the loading to the spine due to increased body weight.

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Wearing high heel shoes

Wearing high heel shoes will increase the lumbar lordosis which can also impose unnecessary stress to the low back and causing pain

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Psychological factor

Stress can increase the tension of muscles and lead to inadequate rest of the muscles


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Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is also named lateral epicondylitis. It is the inflammation of the tendon of the forearm muscles.

Symptoms of Tennis Elbow

•      Exertion of force with fingers, wrist or forearm would cause pain in lateral aspect of elbow or forearm muscles

•      Tender point in lateral aspect of elbow

•      Gripping or heavy object would cause the pain at the lateral aspect of elbow

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Adopted from scoi.com
Common causes of tennis elbow

•       Improper use of wrist or elbow

      For example, in typing, we mainly use the wrist extensor to stabilize the wrist. Too much wrist extension or flexion in typing is regarded as improper because it will cause wrist extensor muscles work in disadvantage position.

•      Decrease in strength and flexibility of forearm muscles

•      Repetitive minor injury due to overuse in muscles

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

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Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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•         Pin and needles or numbness of hand at night or after movement of wrist

•         Altered in sensation of thumb, index finger and middle fingers

•         Shock sensation in hands in tapping the nerve in the wrist

•         Nerve conduction test can detect the degree of compression of median nerve in the wrist

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Anatomy of carpal area

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•         Carpal tunnel: an anterior space in the wrist

•         Formed by carpal bones (posterior) and retinaculum (anterior)

•         Flexor tendons which control the movement of fingers and median nerve pass underneath

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Adopted form aboutcts.com,

Common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome

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•  Any pressure exerted onto carpal area will squeeze the median nerve causing pain, and numbness to the hand and wrist. For example, when wrist is compressed against hard objects.

•      Repetitive use of flexor tendons will also cause compression of the carpal area

•      Imflammation of retinaculum would also cause compression of median nerve

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deQuervain's Tendinitis

deQuervain¡¦s tendinitis is a condition brought on by irritation or swelling of the tendons found along the thumb side of the wrist. The irritation causes the compartment around the tendon to swell; this makes it difficult for the tendons to move as they should.

Symptoms of deQuervain's Tendinitis

  • tenderness along the thumb side of the wrist,
  • usually noticed when forming a fist, grasping or gripping things, or turning the wrist.

Common causes of deQuervain's Tendinitis

Awkward hand position in typing, i.e. the wrist is not neutral.

Adopted from  www.assh.org

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