Musculoskeletal disorders—the formal name for muscle, bone, and joint issues—are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. 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.
Your personal muscle, bone, and joint health checklist
There are plenty of actions you can take to bolster your muscle, bone, and joint health to prevent future pain and injury. You can get started right now.
It only takes 2 minutes
Answer a few questions to get your personalized to-do list to help keep you feeling your best.
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
Improving the way your workspace is set up can help you feel more comfortable throughout your day.
Adobe’s ergonomics program 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. Consider getting an eye exam to ensure your vision isn’t contributing to weak posture.
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 program to get reimbursed for these services, along with expenses like gym memberships, ski passes, weights, and virtual exercise classes.
- If you’re in Seattle, Lehi, San Jose, or San Francisco, schedule a free fitness assessment with one of your local Exos coaches or fitness specialists by emailing wellness@adobe.com.
- Check out Exos’ virtual group exercise schedule for live or recorded classes that you can view from anywhere.
- Try building an exercise habit with the help of LifeDojo.
Check with your doctor
To be sure it’s right for you, get your doctor’s OK before you start a new exercise regimen, especially if you don’t exercise much now.
Fuel your body
Staying hydrated, getting enough protein, and eating whole foods can support the growth of strong muscles and bones.
- Download the Adobe Life app and choose Adobe Anywhere > Browse Podcasts > Healthy Eating for Humans. Listen to our Registered Dietitian’s podcast episode 18: How to Build Muscle and Lose Fat, for nutrition tips to support strength and a healthy body weight.
- Review these nutrition resources.
- 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 practice mindfulness and meditation techniques.
- Access mental health support and free, confidential counseling through Spring Health.
- Get a massage, which can be reimbursed through the wellbeing reimbursement program.
- Use LifeDojo to build resilience.
- If you’re a Kaiser member, access Kaiser emotional wellbeing apps.
Schedule your annual physical with your primary care physician
Getting routine preventive care, like having an annual physical, is a key part of staying healthy. These visits can help identify health concerns before they become problems. And in-network preventive care is covered at 100% by your medical plan. Learn more about your Aetna or Kaiser wellness resources.
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
Aetna members: Log in to the Aetna website (SSO) and select Well-being Resources under Member Resources.
Kaiser members: Complete the Kaiser California assessment or Kaiser Washington health profile.
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.
- Explore Adobe’s nutrition resources or join the Slack nutrition community for support.
- Your onsite wellness center offers equipment to support healthy movement—or 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 suffer from chronic pain
Talk to your doctor, and explore your care options.
I suffer from chronic pain
- Find an Aetna network provider, or check out the AbleTo program.
- Find a Kaiser provider, or read Kaiser’s resources on chronic pain and musculoskeletal conditions.
- Get a no-cost second opinion on your pain management plan from Teladoc Medical Experts.
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.
- See Aetna tips on how to relieve lower back pain.
- Learn about Kaiser treatment options.
- Talk to your primary care physician about 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 counseling through Spring Health.
- Your free Headspace membership can help with mindfulness and meditation techniques, including a pain management course and pain-at-night meditation.
- Aetna and Kaiser members can get support from a therapist.
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, an in-network urgent care facility is probably your best bet for quick, appropriate care.
Not sure whether to go to the emergency room? Check Aetna’s guide to urgent care versus the ER.
If you’re a Kaiser member, call the number on the back of your ID card for advice.
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 at 408-536-4444 (ext. 6-4444), or dial 9-911.
Then, contact the Employee Resource Center (ERC) at 408-536-4357, or submit a request via the Support Center to report your injury. The ERC can help determine if you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Learn about workers’ comp and leaves of absence.
I’m considering surgery
Explore your options to make the best choice for you.
I’m considering surgery
If you’re considering elective surgery, get a no-cost second opinion on your treatment options from Teladoc Medical Experts for peace of mind.
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 program or other medical recommendations with regular check-ins and realistic goal setting.
Find mindfulness with Headspace
Through your free Headspace membership, you can practice 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 Spring Health
Caring for your mental wellbeing is an important part of physical recovery. Through Spring Health, you can access 12 free confidential counseling sessions to support your mental health needs. You also have access to resources to help you along the way.