Covid-19 effects: More than 33% of UK adults had increased back pain during lockdown

Coronavirus lockdowns have led to a host of physical effects among individuals. Many made the huge shift towards a work from home setup, but along with this, a survey showed that it also led to an increase in cases of back pain, joint pain, and even headaches.

The survey of 2,000 adults in the UK, which was commissioned by Nurofen, showed that 36 percent of the respondents experienced an increase in pain over a period of six months. There was about 25 percent who pointed at a poor workstation or office setup at home as the culprit behind the pain.

The biggest problem of the respondents is back pain, with 36 percent of them signifying having experienced it. After back pain, 34 percent of Britons said they experienced headaches. When it comes to joint pain, 27 percent stated that they suffered from it. There was 26 percent who had neck aches and 24 percent felt muscle pain.

There was 50 percent who said that stress was one of the primary factors that increased their pain. They also attributed the stress to the "lockdown climate."

The research also showed that the age group who experienced increased pain, and who said that the pain was likely from a poor work-from-home setup and due to spending more time looking after their kids, was in the 25 to 44 years age group. They also noted that this might be because of juggling homeschooling their kids with work.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, MBE, a general practitioner, said that pain can affect a person's mood, his relationship, his family, and even his work. She noted that this makes it important to take the right steps in dealing with pain quickly and in the most effective manner. She also said that it is quite clear that adjusting to new ways of living may cause new pains or heighten acute ones.

Although many experienced an increase in pain, the survey showed that since the lockdown the number of individuals who paid a visit to their GPs lowered by 21 percent. There was also a reduction of 17 percent among individuals who went to the pharmacy.

Back Pain Work From Home

Many admitted though that they spent more time in front of the television or watch a movie at home during the lockdown. About 39 percent believed that the time they spent in front of the TV or their computers were to blame for their pain.