Musculoskeletal disorders—the formal name for muscle, bone, and joint problems—are common health issues and can have a huge impact on your quality of life. These disorders limit your normal physical activity due to injury, pain, or disease of the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort, be sure to take the symptoms seriously, and seek medical care as soon as possible.
Preventing musculoskeletal pain and injury
As with many other health concerns, focusing on prevention is worth the effort.
Here’s how your Adobe benefits can be a big part of your musculoskeletal health game plan.
Check your workspace
Having an ergonomically friendly workstation can help you avoid working in uncomfortable positions and prevent pain now and in the future.
Adobe’s ergonomics programme offers a free self-paced virtual ergonomic assessment, powered by ergoIQ. The tips you get will help you feel better while you work.
Want more resources? Check out the ergonomics page on Inside Adobe.
Is it your eyes?
Poor vision can contribute to leaning forward when reading or working on a computer. Adobe will reimburse you for an annual sight test and eyewear.
Get moving
Staying active throughout the day is an important part of reducing your risk for neck, back, and joint pain. If you follow a plan for regular exercise, the benefits can be even greater.
- Work with a fitness professional to ensure you’re using proper exercise techniques. You can use the wellbeing reimbursement programme to get reimbursed for these services, along with expenses like gym memberships, ski passes, weights, and virtual exercise classes.
- Learn about the benefits of taking regular breaks, and visit the Adobe Anywhere page on the Adobe Life app to find guided mobility breaks you can participate in near your desk. Visit Adobe Anywhere > Wellbeing > Fitness Training > Mobility Break.
- Try building an exercise habit with the help of LifeDojo.
Check with your doctor
If you have a medical condition, consider talking with your doctor before beginning a new exercise programme.
Fuel your body
Staying hydrated, getting enough protein, and eating whole foods can support the growth of strong muscles and bones.
- Get nutrition tips from a registered dietician by joining the Adobe Nutrition email group or the #adobe-nutrition Slack channel.
- You can also use LifeDojo to build healthy eating habits.
Reduce stress
Where your mind goes, your body will follow: tense and uncomfortable, or calm and relaxed.
- Use your free Headspace membership to learn and practise mindfulness and meditation techniques.
- Access mental health support and free, confidential counselling through GuidanceResources.
- Get a massage, which can be reimbursed through the wellbeing reimbursement programme.
- Use LifeDojo to build resilience.
Complete a health assessment
A health assessment is a confidential questionnaire that asks about your health history and current habits. Share the results with your doctor, who can help you:
- Better understand your situation and get the best, most effective care
- Determine your current health risks and learn how to decrease your risk of disease
- Find educational content that’s most applicable to your needs
If you’re experiencing symptoms
If you’re feeling some pain or discomfort, don’t ignore it! Timely intervention can keep a small problem from becoming a bigger issue.
I need to build some healthy habits
Your Adobe benefits can help make a change for the better.
I need to build some healthy habits
- Use LifeDojo to build healthy habits with the help of a coach.
- Tips from Nutrition Newsletters can help you improve your diet, and the Slack nutrition community can keep you on track.
- You can use your wellbeing reimbursement for gym memberships, fitness classes, or equipment.
I feel discomfort when sitting at my desk
Check the ergonomics of your workspace.
I feel discomfort when sitting at my desk
Take a look at this quick posture guide [PDF] to see if you’re properly positioned.
For a more comprehensive look at your space, start with a self-paced virtual ergonomic assessment, powered by ergoIQ.
I injured myself
Get the care you need without delay.
I injured myself
If you need care right away, and your injury is not life-threatening, contacting your local medical centre or dialing 111 is probably your best bet for quick, appropriate care.
I got hurt at work
Report what happened, whether you have sudden back pain after lifting something heavy or a sore knee after slipping and falling.
I got hurt at work
First, get the care you need. If you’re in the office, call Adobe Security for assistance. If it’s a life-threatening situation, dial 999.
Then, contact the Employee Resource Centre (ERC) at +1 408-536-4357, or submit a request via the Support Centre to report your injury.
I have lower back pain
Acting early can help avoid more serious problems later.
I have lower back pain
First, pay attention to your symptoms and what might cause the pain—like sitting at your desk for a long time or lifting something heavy.
- If your discomfort is coming from sitting at your desk, consider an ergonomic assessment.
- Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and whether you should see a specialist.
Stress is contributing to my pain
Feeling calmer and more relaxed can help relieve physical discomfort.
Stress is contributing to my pain
- Access mental health support and confidential counselling through GuidanceResources.
- Your free Headspace membership can help with mindfulness and meditation techniques, including a pain management course and pain-at-night meditation.
Don’t delay
Studies show that the longer you delay getting treatment for a musculoskeletal issue, the longer it takes to recover, the more expensive the required treatment, and the greater the chances of a recurring problem.
Recovering from an injury
Recovering from an injury can be a long process, but taking the proper steps to fully recover is worth the time. As you work with your doctors and follow their advice, you can reduce your chance of pain or reinjury in the future.
Consider using these resources as additional support in your recovery journey.
Stay accountable with LifeDojo
LifeDojo coaches can help you stick to your physiotherapy programme or other medical recommendations with regular check-ins and realistic goal setting.
Find mindfulness with Headspace
Through your free Headspace membership, you can practise mindfulness to support your mental and physical recovery. These resources might be particularly helpful (and there are a lot more to explore):
- Sports recovery course
- Managing anxiety course
- Navigating change course
- Pain management course
- Pain-at-night meditation
Consider emotional support with GuidanceResources
Caring for your mental wellbeing is an important part of physical recovery. Through GuidanceResources, you can access 12 free confidential counselling sessions per issue each year to support your mental health needs. You also have access to resources to help you along the way.