Many desk warriors experience chronic knee pain; wrist and hand pain; heel or elbow pain, and insomnia. Let’s look at these aches and learn about prevention and treatement.

Dr. Gary addresses your body’s pain points in his new book The Pain Free Desk Warrior – Free Yourself From Aches And Pains. Here he shares an excerpt in hopes that you can start living your life free of pain, fatigue and illness!

In Part 1 we discussed the first set of the Top 10 Body Pains Of A Desk Warrior. If you’ve ever experienced any one of these symptoms, let’s look into others in more detail today.

6. Hip And Knee Pain

Hip pain around the buttock muscle is usually caused by poor posture that offsets pelvic stability. As desk warriors tend to sit for extended periods of time, the hip flexors at the front of the hip become concentrated and tight.

Both problems change the way the chain of movement occurs. For some, they may see a waddling type of gait, while for sports enthusiasts, they may end up with ITB syndrome, piriformis syndrome or snapping hip.

Most people who report knee pain are athletes who run, play soccer or basketball. Like the hip, the knee joint requires the whole leg to have proper movement and mechanics. From the ankle and foot, to the knee, hip, pelvis, and lower back, all joints must be tracking freely and correctly. Once one part of the mechanical chain underperforms, stress and injury will occur, more commonly at the knee. Common knee conditions include ligament strains, meniscus tears, tendonitis and patella tracking dysfunction.

Another group of people who experience knee pain are those older than 50 years old. Their knees may have degeneration or arthritis, which inhibits proper knee alignment and movement. Restoring as much alignment and movement in the knee would help minimize the impact of arthritis and relive the pain.

7. Wrist And Hand Pain And Numbness

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition of the wrist and hand. It is commonly caused by repetitive strain of the underside of the wrist. The main culprit is typing and using the mouse, which compresses the nerve that travels from the forearm into the palm of the hand. Numbness and tingling may be felt.

Correcting your workstation posture by adjusting your arm height and chair height will help ease the pressure.

8. Heel Pain

I have seen a growing number of heel-pain clients. Either the incidence of heel pain is increasing or people are realizing specific types of chiropractic care can help. Pain under the foot, especially around the heel is commonly referred to as heel spurs. However, not everyone with heel pain actually has a bony spur growing out of the heel. This means the pain is not caused by the spur itself, but by the plantar fascia or muscle under the foot. Plantar fasciitis is due to the overuse and overstrain of the muscle.

Poor choice of footwear contributes to the condition, along with prolonged standing or exercising on hard, flat surfaces.

9. Elbow Pain

Unless traumatic, elbow pain occurs because of a repetitive or over-strain injury. Most people feel pain when carrying something heavy or when opening a jar. Common elbow syndromes are tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow – however, you do not need to play these sports to get them.

Correcting their wrist and elbow biomechanics, releasing tension in the muscles and fascia, as well as reducing the inflammation and scarring has led to full recovery.

10. Insomnia

Overlooked by many, insomnia has a reported 5% incidence. We are so stressed and busy that even when we have the opportunity to switch off, relax, rejuvenate and restore, our mind is still going 100 miles an hour.

One simple solution is to learn how to empty your mind. Engaging in activities like mindfulness meditation, yoga, running, painting, and listening to music can help. If you are not able to resolve it yourself, It’s always best to speak to a healthcare professional.

The last important pain problem suffered by desk warriors is gastric problems like reflux, heartburn, and general digestive problems. This is commonly seen in people with high stress, poor sleep habits, coffee drinkers, and irregular meals.

It’s vital to understand that stress can create problems in any and every part of the body. No one will ever be able to get rid of all stress in their life. What we need to understand about physical pain and other health concerns is that it is a result of how our body deals with stress.

If you want to learn more on how your body can adapt better to stress and build your health so that your body
is more resilient to your habits and lifestyle, grab a copy of Dr. Gary Tho’s book, Pain-Free Desk Warrior.