Chiropractors See Increase In Patients With 'Work-From-Home' Injuries

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Chiropractors are seeing a rise in people experiencing major aches and pains as they work from home.

It's back adjustment day for Diana Martinez. She is a realtor who is working from home now more than ever.

"I don't get up as much, I do tons of Zoom meetings," she said.

The constant sitting is hurting her. Middle school social science teacher Young Wagner is having the same problem.

"Even now after teaching today, I have this kind of kink in my neck," Wagner said.

Young is not moving around her classroom like she used to, instead, she's teaching from home.

"I felt it pretty immediately," she explained.

Doctor Andrew Williams with Backs In Motion Chirospa is seeing a lot of people who are feeling sudden aches and pains in their lower back, neck and shoulders.

"All kinds of working from home injuries just because they are sitting at their kitchen table, they are standing at their counters," Dr. Williams said.

Dr. Ar'neka Cooper with Resilient Spine is going mobile, treating people at their homes.

She's even treating more students.

"Some who are starting to experience symptoms that they have never even had before," she explained.

The biggest issue both chiropractors say is people not moving as much.

It's what happened to Nichelle Burdick. Her neck and shoulder pain became so bad; she couldn't even grab a cup of coffee.

"I really was in so much pain I couldn't move my arm," she said.

But there are easy things you can do to make working from home less of a pain, like taking small breaks to get up and moving, putting your computer at eye level and getting a separate mouse and keyboard.

Dr. Williams encourages even using a pillow to rest your elbows. All small fixes that can help in big ways, and changes Young is making with her ergonomic work from home set up.

"I think that has to be the worst thing is to be in chronic pain if you can do something about like you know we deserve it, we have to take the time to do it," she said.

Chiropractors say you can use whatever you have in your home to prop up your computers or laptops. They also encourage taking at least five to 10 minutes to stretch.