These Injuries Are Surging As More Americans Work From Home

Advisory Board
September 10, 2020

As the coronavirus epidemic forces millions of Americans to work from home, health care providers are reporting a surge of patients seeking help for injuries linked to unexpectedly long-term, makeshift workspaces.

According to the New York Times, the American Chiropractic Association in April conducted a Facebook survey that found 92% of the 213 chiropractors who responded said their patients were reporting more back pain, neck pain, or other musculoskeletal issues since states across the country began implementing stay-at-home orders amid the epidemic.

According to the Times, these patients have a similar pattern of behavior: When first required to work from home, they thought the shift was temporary, so they weren't concerned about hunching over a laptop in their kitchens, beds, or sofas. However, as that short-term expectation morphed into long-term—and occasionally permanent—work-from-home conditions, the mild discomfort associated with a few weeks of being hunched over laptops and sitting in slouched, hunched positions has turned into sharper pain.