The Covid-19 crisis has shaken up the world, and certain habits in the organization of work. First and foremost, and not least, the possibility of working from home. At first glance, this solution is full of advantages: the possibility of sleeping longer, not having to endure traffic jams or the “joys” of transport. However, contrary to what one might think, full-time teleworking produces harmful effects on health, and particularly on the spine. This is what a study carried out by Public Health France showed in October 2023.
The prevalence of low back pain is 9.2% for people who telework full-time, compared to 5.3% for those who telework part-time, and 4.8% for those who do not work remotely. telework.
Beware of social isolation
The cause is poor office equipment, but not only that. Indeed, this study highlights in particular the importance of material conditions for teleworking: dedicated room, second screen, keyboard, office chair. But to reduce the repercussions of teleworking on health, other organizational aspects must also not be forgotten: for example the number of days of weekly teleworking. Teleworking also has an impact on the psychological state of teleworkers due to social isolation. This isolation can promote the occurrence of lower back pain.
The profile of victims of lumbago and other back problems has therefore evolved with an affected public that has changed socio-professional background. Marc Pérez notes: “I am 70 years old. When I started medical osteopathy, forty years ago, I only had construction workers who came to consult me for lumbago, sciatica, and injuries. Since IT, since the 1990s, I have almost no workers, but mainly managers. They often have pain between the shoulder blades. Their position on the screens is not ergonomic, they pull on the column. »